EXECUTIVE
ORDER
EO 13043
Effective Date: April 16, 1997

Responsible Office: Office of Safety and Mission Assurance
Subject: INCREASING SEAT BELT USE IN THE UNITED STATES

				TEXT

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 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 or 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.

                    /s/William J. Clinton


THE WHITE HOUSE.
April 16, 1997.

			

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