Increasing Seat Belt Use in the United States

Executive Order 13043 of April 16, 1997

Increasing Seat Belt Use in the United States

By the authority vested in me as President by the
Constitution and the laws of the United States of
America, including the Highway Safety Act of 1966, 23
U.S.C. 402 and 403, as amended, section 7902(c) of
title 5, United States Code, and section 19 of the
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, 29 U.S.C.
668, as amended, and in order to require that Federal
employees use seat belts while on official business; to
require that motor vehicle occupants use seat belts in
national park areas and on Department of Defense
(“Defense”) installations; to encourage Tribal
Governments to adopt and enforce seat belt policies and
programs for occupants of motor vehicles traveling on
highways in Indian Country; and to encourage Federal
contractors, subcontractors, and grantees to adopt and
enforce on-the-job seat belt use policies and programs,
it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Policies. (a) Seat Belt Use by Federal
Employees. Each Federal employee occupying any seating
position of a motor vehicle on official business, whose
seat is equipped with a seat belt, shall have the seat
belt properly fastened at all times when the vehicle is
in motion.

    (b) Seat Belt Use in National Parks and on Defense
Installations. Each operator and passenger occupying
any seating position of a motor vehicle in a national
park area or on a Defense installation, whose seat is
equipped with a seat belt or child restraint system,
shall have the seat belt or child restraint system
properly fastened, as required by law, at all times
when the vehicle is in motion.
    (c) Seat Belt Use by Government Contractors,
Subcontractors and Grantees. Each Federal agency, in
contracts, subcontracts, and grants entered into after
the date of this order, shall seek to encourage
contractors, subcontractors, and grantees to adopt and
enforce on-the-job seat belt policies and programs for
their employees when operating company-owned, rented,
or personally owned vehicles.
    (d) Tribal Governments. Tribal Governments are
encouraged to adopt and enforce seat belt policies and
programs for occupants of motor vehicles traveling on
highways in Indian Country that are subject to their
jurisdiction.

Sec. 2. Scope of Order. All agencies of the executive
branch are directed to promulgate rules and take other
appropriate measures within their existing programs to
further the policies of this order. This includes, but
is not limited to, conducting education, awareness, and
other appropriate programs for Federal employees about
the importance of wearing seat belts and the
consequences of not wearing them. It also includes
encouraging Federal contractors, subcontractors, and
grantees to conduct such programs. In addition, the
National Park Service and the Department of Defense are
directed to initiate rulemaking to consider regulatory
changes with respect to enhanced seat belt use
requirements and standard (primary) enforcement of such
requirements in national park areas and on Defense
installations, consistent with the policies outlined in
this order, and to widely publicize and actively
enforce such regulations. The term “agency” as used
in this order means an Executive department, as defined
in 5 U.S.C. 101, or any employing unit or authority of
the Federal Government, other than those of the
legislative and judicial branches.

Sec. 3. Coordination. The Secretary of Transportation
shall provide leadership and guidance to the heads of
executive branch agencies to assist them

with the employee seat belt programs established
pursuant to this order. The Secretary of Transportation
shall also cooperate and consult with the legislative
and judicial branches of the Government to encourage
and help them to adopt seat belt use programs.

Sec. 4. Reporting Requirements. The Secretary of
Transportation, in cooperation with the heads of
executive branch agencies, and after consultation with
the judicial and legislative branches of Government,
shall submit an annual report to the President. The
report shall include seat belt use rates and statistics
of crashes, injuries, and related costs involving
Federal employees on official business and occupants of
motor vehicles driven in national park areas, on
Defense installations, and on highways in Indian
Country. The report also shall identify specific agency
programs that have made significant progress towards
achieving the goals of this order or are notable and
deserving of recognition. All agencies of the executive
branch shall provide information to, and otherwise
cooperate with, the Secretary of Transportation to
assist with the preparation of the annual report.

Sec. 5. Other Powers and Duties. Nothing in this order
shall be construed to impair or alter the powers and
duties of the heads of the various Federal agencies
pursuant to the Highway Safety Act of 1966, 23 U.S.C.
402 and 403, as amended, section 19 of the Occupational
Safety and Health Act of 1970, 29 U.S.C. 668, as
amended, or sections 7901, 7902, and 7903 of title 5,
United States Code, nor shall it be construed to affect
any right, duty, or procedure under the National Labor
Relations Act, 29 U.S.C. 151 et seq.

Sec. 6. General Provisions. (a) Executive Order 12566
of September 26, 1986, is revoked. To the extent that
this order is inconsistent with any provisions of any
prior Executive order, this order shall control.

    (b) If any provision of this order or application
of any such provision is held to be invalid, the
remainder of this order and other applications of such
provision shall not be affected.
    (c) Nothing in this order shall be construed to
create a new cause of action against the United States,
or to alter in any way the United States liability
under the Federal Tort Claims Act, 28 U.S.C. 2671-2680.
    (d) The Secretary of Defense shall implement the
provisions of this order insofar as practicable for
vehicles of the Department of Defense.
    (e) The Secretary of the Treasury and the Attorney
General, consistent with their protective and law
enforcement responsibilities, shall determine the
extent to which the requirements of this order apply to
the protective and law enforcement activities of their
respective agencies.

    (Presidential Sig.)

THE WHITE HOUSE,

     April 16, 1997.