Nigbur declined to comment specifically about Hale's bill. In general, he said, seat belts save lives.

"In my six years I've been on the Highway Patrol," he said, "I've seen that people who wear seat belts with a rollover, they will survive. Those who do not wear a seat belt have been ejected. They'll either hit the ground hard and that kills them or they'll be partially ejected and the vehicle rolls over them. In my experience, those who wear seat belts survive."

Despite failure of her bill in past legislative sessions (the Senate did approve it the past two sessions), Hale remains hopeful that she can help Utah enact a primary seat-belt law. Groundswell from a fatal crash involving eight students and a professor from Utah State University could help her in passing that law.

Whether those involved in that crash were wearing seat belts is still being contested.

"Hopefully we can help persuade colleagues in the House to look at the common-sense aspect of this," said Hale. "When you look at the number of fatalities across the nation and in the state and see the possibility that so many lives can be saved by seat belt use, here's something so simple we can do."

The 2006 General Legislative Session begins Monday. Hale's primary seat-belt bill is expected to be debated during the session.

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E-mail: nwarburton@desnews.com