Improved seat belt use and record low traffic deaths: no coincidence

As Ken Thomas of the Associated Press is reporting today, "the number of people killed in auto accidents hit its lowest level in five decades."

And, while AP seems to attribute the decrease to fewer miles traveled, the rate of deaths per mile traveled in 2008 is the lowest on record. That means something else is the effective cause of this new safety record.

For the explanation, I'd point to increased seat belt use, which also reached a record level in 2008. The national average of seat belt use was 83%, a good number though not one we can afford to be satisfied with. The top sixteen states and territories achieved seat belt use rates of 90 percent or higher. Those are Michigan, Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, California, Maryland, Iowa, Puerto Rico, New Jersey, Delaware, Indiana, Texas, Nevada, New Mexico, Illinois and the District of Columbia.

Congratulations to Michigan for leading the way with an amazing 97.2% use rate. States like Michigan are raising the bar on seat belt use, making communities safer and keeping families intact.

Lower fatalities and higher seat belt use are trends we want to see.  Americans should be pleased that everyone has stepped up to make driving safer.

To see how your state or territory did in 2008 view NHTSA's report showing 2008 seat belt use click here. To view the report showing estimated fatalities in 2008, click here.

You can call it the result of increased seat belt use; you can call it the result of fewer miles traveled. I call it good news.

Comments

[Ohio Quotes]

Our daughter just got her license a week ago. And the VERY first thing she learned was to buckle up! No exceptions. And no texting either!

[car shipping quotes]

Wearing a seatbelt should be a no-brainer. I was once a naysayer until I lost two of my very close friends. Most accidents that end in death could have been avoided if seatbelts were worn.

Great law!

Kim :)

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I totally agree with the author of this article , i studied road safety in college , and the seat belt was considered a major safety element

[auto transport]

Great article..Im going to start reading this blog more often.