Passage of a primary seat belt law that will attract about $10 million in federal highway money to Kansas is good news for the state budget. It’s too bad, however, that legislators were more interested in the money than in a bill that actually would put some teeth in a law that could save many Kansas lives.

In the closing days of the legislative session, lawmakers finally passed a law that would make not using a seat belt a primary offense, meaning drivers can be stopped and ticketed simply for that infraction. Previously, tickets for seat-belt use could be given only if the motorist was stopped for another reason.

The details of the bill, however, make it clear that it was passed for budget reasons rather than safety reasons. For the first year, the fine for a primary seat belt offense will be $5; after that, it will rise to $10. That’s it: $5, then $10, with no court costs. It’s less than a parking ticket in many cities.

The fines reportedly meet the minimum penalty spelled out in federal law and apparently will qualify Kansas for the additional funding, but they won’t provide a meaningful deterrent. Kansas legislators got the money, but they did almost nothing to promote safety on Kansas highways. It’s too bad they couldn’t get their priorities straight.