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The Latest Statistics on the Effect of Seatbelt Use in Car Crashes

BIKLaw Medical Malpractice Lawyer > Car Accident > The Latest Statistics on the Effect of Seatbelt Use in Car Crashes

We all know it’s safer to buckle up when we’re riding in a car. Seatbelts can often help to protect us from suffering a more serious injury if we’re unlucky enough to be involved in a motor vehicle accident. While most people are aware of the need to use a seatbelt, what do the latest statistics tell us about seatbelt use?

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, seatbelt use remained almost unchanged in 2013 when compared to 2012, with seat belt use reaching 87 percent in 2013, up one percent from the 2012 statistics. When it came to seat belt use in heavy traffic, the percentage went up from 89 percent in 2012 to 90 percent in 2013.

The following seatbelt use trends were also noted:

  • seatbelt use increased by four percent in the Northeast, rising from 80 percent in 2012 to 84 percent in 2013.
  • in primary law states – that is, states in which a car can be pulled over because the occupants are not wearing seatbelts – seatbelt use continues to be higher than in secondary law states, where seatbelt violations can only be given when a driver is first caught violating another primarily enforced traffic law, and also in states where there are no seat belt laws.

And what about seat belt use in fatal crashes? In 2013, nearly 49 percent of those killed in motor vehicle crashes were not using a seat belt. Of the passenger car occupants who survived a crash in which there was also a fatality, 84 percent were using a seatbelt at the time – that is, only 16 percent of the survivors of a fatal car crash were unrestrained.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a motor vehicle accident, Bradley I. Kramer and his experienced legal team are here to help you obtain the compensation to which you are entitled. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.

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