Extra law enforcement patrols targeting drivers who are not wearing seatbelts could soon cease to exist.

A bill moving through the Minnesota House of Representatives would put an end to the enforcement waves that crack down on seatbelt use for drivers and passengers.

Sheriff Terese Amazi and Police Chief Brian Krueger have expressed opposition to the bill.

“Seatbelts save lives, plain and simple,” Amazi said.

The bill, if enacted, would not change any existing laws regarding seatbelt use — it would just affect the occasional enforcement waves. According to Rep. Rich Murray, R-Albert Lea, who serves on the Transportation Policy and Finance Committee, the bill is not meant to discourage seatbelt use. Instead, the concern is that too much time and money is spent on seatbelt enforcement when there are potentially more serious violations that need attention.

“The seatbelt law is a minor violation when you get picked up for it,” Murray said. “You can be stopped for it and ticketed, but it’s not something the author (of the bill) thinks the highway patrol should be out en masse writing tickets for.

“Are we using the resources where they should be used?”

Lynn Spainhower, coordinator for Mower County Safe Communities Coalition, thinks the resources put toward seatbelt enforcement waves are definitely being used well.

“There are a lot of people not wearing their seatbelts now as it is, so why would we want less education?” Spainhower said.

According to Spainhower, enforcement waves are more to educate the public than to fill quotas or bring in state revenue via citation fees.

“The state has already set their priorities that we want to drive Minnesota toward zero deaths, she said. “How are we going to do that without education?”

Krueger said the enforcement waves are helping, in his opinion. Annual fatal crash numbers have decreased by around 200 deaths since around 10 years ago, he said, and seatbelt laws and education have contributed to the decrease.

“I still believe it’s an educational aspect for the citizens to make sure they are wearing their seatbelts,” Krueger said. “Seatbelts save lives.”