Georgia Seat Belt Use Statistics Holding Steady, but Average for the Nation

By Grant Law Office on May 14, 2012

The rate of seat belt use in Georgia has held steady for the past several years, and its rates are about average for seat belt use throughout the United States, according to a recent report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The report examined seat belt use from 2003 to 2010 in all fifty states. Fifteen states, not including Georgia, had an average seat belt use rate over 90 percent during this period. Georgia’s own seat belt use rate hovers just below the 90 percent mark, with an 89.6% use rate in 2010 – a 0.7% increase over 2003.

During these years, the state with the biggest increase in seat belt use was Kansas. Kansas strengthened its seat belt enforcement law in June 2010, which raised its use rate from 77% in 2009 to 81.8% in 2010. States with primary seat belt enforcement laws, like Georgia, tended to have higher rates of seat belt use. Many of these states also see lower rates of deaths associated with not using a seat belt. For instance, motorists involved in rollover accidents are more likely to suffer death or permanent disability if they are thrown from the vehicle during the rollover, which is more likely to happen if the person is not buckled in.

Seat belts are an easy way to protect yourself from injury in a motor vehicle accident, but they are not foolproof. If you’ve been injured in a car accident, the experienced Georgia auto accident lawyers at The Law Offices of Wayne Grant, P.C. can help. For a free, confidential consultation, call us today at (404) 995-3955.