Seat
Belt Use is on the Rise, NHTSA Reports
September 18, 2009
Seat belt use has hit a record high of 84 percent, according to
a new study by the U.S. Department of Transportation's National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The new study, conducted
in June, shows a 1 percentage-point increase in seat belt use to
84 percent within just one year.
The large-scale observational study, known as the National Occupant
Protection Use Survey (NOPUS), is conducted annually.
The survey also showed several other key findings:
- Belt use remains higher in states where drivers can be pulled
over solely for not using seat belts;
- Seat belt use rates in the West are the highest for any region
in the nation at 93 percent. By comparison, the Northeast rose
3 percentage points to 82 percent; the Midwest rose 2 percentage
points to 81 percent; and the South rose 1 percentage point to
82 percent; and
- The seat belt use rate among pickup truck occupants remained
static at 74 percent. Those riding in passenger cars had a 2 percentage
point increase to 86 percent. And people riding in SUVs and vans
had the highest level of belt use, at 87 percent, up 1 percentage
point.
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