Passage Summary: Usually, seat belt laws save lives, but in one specific city, the number of traffic deaths stayed exactly the same even after the law was passed.

Reasoning: A safety report indicates that seat belt laws usually reduce traffic deaths by 7 percent, yet a specific city saw no change in its death rate after two years of such laws.

Analysis: We are looking for the one answer choice that does not explain why deaths stayed the same despite the new law. To resolve the paradox, we need a reason why this city is an outlier—perhaps traffic increased significantly, or the law isn't being enforced. The 'Except' format means four choices will offer a plausible explanation, such as a rise in high-speed accidents offsetting the seat belt benefits. The correct answer will likely be irrelevant to the death rate or even deepen the mystery.