What is the formula for saving lives? Political permission and public support, plus penetrating media messages, plus high visibility traffic enforcement, equals lives saved. This was the message given by Chuck Satterfield, public information officer for the Vermont Governor's Highway Safety Program, at a training session held for law enforcement officers on February 15 and 16 in Williston. The training objective was to present good reasons why law enforcement officers should enforce North Dakota's safety belt law. The training was coordinated through the Rocky Mountain Region of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Satterfield, who is also a deputy sheriff, presented facts that demonstrated the similarities between Vermont and North Dakota: approximately the same number of people, the same median income, the same number of housing units, the same ethnic mix, and the same kind of safety belt law -- secondary. The similarities end there. Vermont has a safety belt usage rate of over 80%, compared to North Dakota's rate of just over 67%.

Satterfield believes North Dakota can also raise it's safety belt use rate over 80% if law enforcement officers place special emphasis on saving lives through traffic enforcement, and especially enforcement of the safety belt law. They cannot do it alone, however. Public support and political strength is essential, and can be gained through strong media and information campaigns and across-the-board participation from all law enforcement officers.

Several other speakers joined Satterfield at the four-hour training, which was sponsored by the Region 1 Safe Communities Coalition, the Williston Police Department and the Williams County Sheriff's Department. Diana Read, the Region 1 Safe Communities Coordinator, welcomed everyone to the training session, which was attended by officers from throughout western North Dakota, from as far away as Burlington, Minot and Dickinson. Carol Thurn, occupant protection program manager for the ND Department of Transportation, gave officers an overview of the types of programs for which agencies can apply for funding. Deb Nelson of DLN Consulting, Inc. gave an overview of the safety belt use rates in North Dakota, the six states in the Rocky Mountain Region of NHTSA, and the nation.

Gary Coe, the law enforcement liaison for NHTSA, spoke about enforcement of secondary laws and the power of the traffic stop. A strong concern among law enforcement officers present was the growing meth lab problem in North Dakota. Coe maintained that meth labs and the possession and use of methamphetamines could be reduced through traffic enforcement. Coe stated, "Meth and the ingredients to make meth have to be transported. It eventually shows up in vehicles." And while stopping traffic law offenders, the safety belt ticket should also be written, he maintained.

North Dakota had 81 motor vehicle fatalities in 2003. Of those fatalities, 61 were unrestrained. Had all 61 been wearing safety belts, at least 22 of them would not have died, according to research. Satterfield maintained that law enforcement officers must take safety belt enforcement seriously. He left the 43 officers who participated in the training sessions with this thought, "We have a responsibility as law enforcement officers to care about our people. If we don't show we care, who will?"