Transport Minister Ewart Brown has promised the Island will have a seat belt law by next summer in his effort to make roads safer.

Dr. Brown explained last night that he intends to place a bill before Parliament in the spring session beginning in February making seat belts mandatory on all public roads.

But the minister said there will be a grace period of at least one year to allow motorists to get used to the belts.

"We've been working on this for two years now,'' he said. "It's a pretty well known initiative within the ministry and we are at the point now where we are ready to bring it to Cabinet and get it done.

"I'd like to see it done some time during the summer,'' he added. "The fact is that this will be going soft for this education period. Most jurisdictions have a grace period.

"I was in California when their seat belt law was implemented and there was a year of warnings and then penalties were imposed on people.'' Dr. Brown added: "This is to save lives and prevent unnecessary injuries to people. I always point out that Alex Scott is a vigorous advocate of seat belts after his accident this year in which he escaped injury.'' He concluded: "So we're looking to have this ready by early in February and have this in place with a grace period.''