Beginning July 1, legislation passed by Indiana lawmakers will now allow state juries to know whether a seat belt was used in a car crash. Previously, the evidence was not allowed to be admitted in a civil action.

Before House Bill 1090 passed in the Senate, Christopher Lee, a litigator in Dinsmore’s Indianapolis office and past president of the Defense Trial Counsel of Indiana, testified in front of a committee explaining how the bill would help in addressing mitigation of damages and also promotes driver and passenger safety. Chris’ comments were covered in an article by the Indiana Lawyer.

“Frankly, as a practitioner, I’m surprised it didn’t happen 20 years ago,” Lee told the committee.

Lee noted that the bill only addresses mitigation of damages and is a good compromise that promotes driver and passenger safety. Initially, the bill said seatbelt evidence “must be admitted” at trial but a House amendment changed that to “may be admitted.”

He said the only thing he would change with the bill would be to allow the evidence to apply toward determining fault.

Read more about the new law, and Chris’ testimony, here.