ATLANTA - Everyone has to buckle up on Georgia roads now - even adults in pickup trucks.

Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue on Thursday signed legislation removing the pickup truck exemption from the state's seat belt law.

"Pick-ups have changed over the years, and are often used to get back and forth to work on an everyday basis. Today they are out on our expressways and bypasses, as well as on farms," Perdue said in a statement. "We all recognize that seatbelts save lives. With this legislation we look to continuing to build a 'Safer Georgia' for the next generation."

The new law is a victory for public safety advocates who came to the Capitol each year armed with frightening statistics about the number of lives that could be saved, accidents prevented and medical costs avoided by tweaking the law. But each time, the effort was stymied in the state House by rural lawmakers who called the rule an unnecessary regulation.

The governor was joined at the bill signing in north Georgia by the legislation's sponsor, state Sen. Don Thomas, a Republican from Dalton.

"This long-overdue legislation is a victory for all Georgians," Thomas said. "We have fought hard for years to make sure that everyone driving on Georgia roads is safely buckled-up."

Georgia already required minors to wear seat belts in pickup trucks and adults to wear them in other vehicles. Indiana once had a similar pickup exemption but in 2007 passed an adult seat belt law for pickups. New Hampshire has no seat belt requirement for all adults.

The new Georgia law still excludes motorcycles, motor driven cycles, off-road vehicles and pickup trucks being used in connection with agricultural pursuits.