Seat Belt Use is Up In the USA Today

Posted by Nancy Powell

Kansas City Scout Traffic Management Center Supervisor

As reported in Thursday's USA TODAY, seat belt usage nationally, hit a record high this year with 86% of motorists now buckling up, according to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report.  This represents a 2% increase over last year.  The largest gain in regional use came from the South with 85% of motorists using seat belts over last year’s 80% usage.  U.S. Transportation Secretary, Ray LaHood noted that seat belt use has continued its upward trend from 1994 when only 58% of motorists surveyed claimed to regularly use seat belts.

Each June, state surveys are conducted at pre-selected locations in numerous counties. The data collected at these sites is calculated into a safety belt usage rate using a formula approved by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The safety belt usage survey enables data collection from locations representative of 85 percent of the state’s population. The data collection plan is the same each year for consistency and compliance with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Guidelines.  Data is collected on an annual basis and this measure is updated in October of the following year. Safety belt use in Missouri remained at 79 percent in 2012, the same as 2011. This represents the highest usage in Missouri since 2004.  Kansas numbers have not yet been released for 2012.

 

In Missouri the numbers stack up like this:

Information from "Tracker", MoDOT's Performance Measurements Tool

Last month, Missouri transportation officials met and released a “Blueprint to Save More Lives,” that identifies statewide initiatives to achieve a goal of reducing fatalities in Missouri to 700 or fewer by 2016. In August of 2012, MoDOT began a campaign to call attention to the number of roadway fatalities in the state. Each week, the fatality totals are posted on a number of message boards around the State, including the percentage of fatalities due to unbelted occupants. 

As of November 19, 2012

Currently, 33 states have a primary safety belt law, including Kansas. The primary seat belt law means law enforcement may stop a vehicle if they observe an occupant is not wearing a safety belt. Missouri has a secondary safety belt law, which means law enforcement may not stop a vehicle solely to determine safety belt compliance. Law enforcement must observe another driving violation to stop a vehicle and issue a safety belt citation.



http://www.ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/laws/seatbelt_laws.html

This week ushers in the Holiday season with families travelling across the country to visit loved ones.  Please don’t be the next highway statistic.    BUCKLE UP AND ARRIVE ALIVE! 

Let Thanksgiving last throughout the year!

 



From Your Friends At KC Scout!