NEWS RELEASE

Washington's 2008 Seat Belt Use Rate Climbs
Improves for the Fifth Year in a Row

January 6, 2009

Olympia, WA - Results from the latest observational research survey of seat belt use in Washington were released today, and they show that the use rate has climbed an additional tenth of a point to 96.5%. This marks the fifth year Washington’s usage rate has improved:

Each year a nationwide observational research survey of seat belt use is conducted. The 2008 survey in Washington comprised 98,572 vehicle drivers and passengers. It was done statewide on a variety or road types following research protocols established by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

“Washington has come a long way,” said John Moffat, Regional Administrator of NHTSA’s Region 10. “In 1986 only 36% of vehicle occupants were using seat belts. In 2002 when Washington’s primary seat belt law went into effect, the rate was at 83%. Since then, year after year improvement has made Washington one of the top three states in the nation.”

Studies conducted in Washington show that medical costs from collisions amount to more than $276 million each year in Washington. An unbelted vehicle occupant’s medical costs average $11,000 more per collision than those of a belted vehicle occupant’s.

In early 2007, Washington was selected by NHTSA to conduct a special three-year project that concentrates seat belt public education and enforcement efforts during the nighttime hours. The project was launched because the crash death rate at night is approximately four times higher than day. “Law enforcement officers have continued citing unbuckled motorists during the day and this has kept our use rate up even though we’ve added this emphasis on the nighttime activity, so we’re pleased to see the whole campaign is paying off,” said Lowell Porter, Traffic Safety Commission Director.