Washington Leads the Nation in Seat Belt Use

A recently-released federal report on seat belt use throughout the U.S. showed that Washington leads the nation in seat belt use, according to a press release from the Washington State Patrol. Washington’s seat belt use rate is about 97.5 percent, according to the study performed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

2012 is the seventh year in a row that Washington’s seat belt use rate has been higher than 95 percent. The rate for Washington has also stayed significantly higher than the national average, which is around 86 percent. Neighboring Oregon comes close to Washington’s record, with 96.6 percent, while Idaho has a much lower seat belt use rate, at 79.1 percent.

Seat belt use is directly linked to reduced risk of death and serious injury in car accidents. According to the Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, wearing a seat belt decreases a passenger’s risk of dying in a car accident by 61 percent.

The decrease in the risk of death may be even higher in certain types of crashes. In rollover accidents, for instance, about 95 percent of those who lose their lives are not wearing seat belts at the time of the accident, according to several NHTSA studies.

Seat belts can help protect you and those you love in a crash, but they can’t prevent negligent drivers from causing serious accidents. If you’ve been injured in a collision, the skilled Washington car accident attorneys at Hardwick & Pendergast, P.S. can help. Call us today at (888) 228-3860 for a free case evaluation.