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Data shows safety belt use rising in most of U.S.
More
Americans than ever are wearing their safety belts
with usage rates climbing in 34 states this year,
according to U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman
Y. Mineta.
In 2005, safety belt use ranged from 60.8 percent
in Mississippi to 95.3 percent in Hawaii. Others
breaking the 90 percent belt use barrier included
Washington, Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, Michigan,
California, Puerto Rico and Maryland.
Mississippi registered the lowest safety belt
use in the nation followed by Massachusetts, Kentucky,
Arkansas, South Dakota and Kansas. New Hampshire
and Wyoming were the only states not to report
statistically reliable estimates of belt use rate
for 2005.
"Safety belts are useless unless people make
the effort to wear them," Mineta said. "It's
good to see more people taking their safety seriously,
but we'll save the celebration for the day when
everyone buckles up," he added.
Earlier this year, Secretary Mineta announced
that the nationwide survey conducted by the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
showed belt use rates have hit the milestone of
82 percent - the highest level in the nation's
history. Secretary Mineta also announced earlier
that fatalities had hit a historic low: 1.46 deaths
per 100 million vehicle miles traveled.
At a rate of 82 percent, NHTSA estimates that
safety belts are preventing 15,700 fatalities,
350,000 serious injuries, and $67 billion in economic
costs associated with traffic injuries and deaths
every year. In addition to the life-saving benefits
of increased belt use, Congress created additional
incentives for states. Under the Safe,
Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation
Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU)
enacted Aug. 10, an added $498 million will be
available to states over the next four years.
States must either adopt a primary law or achieve
85 percent belt use for two years in order to
be eligible for the grants.
The state-by-state statistics were derived from
data collected by the states' own surveys, conducted
in accord with criteria established by NHTSA.
Click here
to view state-by-state safety belt use rate data
on the Internet.
(Source: NHTSA)
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