[Title 3 CFR 13043]
[Code of Federal Regulations (annual edition) - January 1, 1998 Edition]
[Title 3 - Presidential Documents]
[Executive Order 13043 - Executive Order 13043 of April 16, 1997]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
3Presidential Documents11998-01-011998-01-01falseExecutive Order 13043 of April 16, 199713043Executive Order 13043Presidential Documents
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.
[[Page 196]]
(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.
[[Page 197]]
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.
WILLIAM J. CLINTON
THE WHITE HOUSE,
April 16, 1997.