Gunfire. Gangs. Stolen vehicles. Armed robbery. A law enforcement officer sees it all — and then some. So where does seat belt enforcement fit in?
Consider this …
· The scope of the problem — 42,642 people were killed on our Nation’s highways in 2006; for young people ages 2 through 34, motor vehicle crashes are currently the leading cause of death, far out-pacing crime and disease related causes.
· More pervasive than homicide — For example: In 2004 alone, 1,603 children, ages 8–15, were killed in motor vehicle crashes; whereas in the same year and age group, 426 children were victims of homicide.
· An effective solution — Worn correctly, seat belts reduce the risk of fatal injury by 45 percent for front-seat passenger car occupants and by 60 percent for pickup truck, SUV, and mini-van occupants.
· Thousands can be saved — An estimated 15,383 lives were saved by seat belt use in 2006; during the five-year period from 2002 through 2006, seat belts are estimated to have saved the lives of 75,000 people.
· History shows enforcement works — High-visibility enforcement of seat belt laws, such as the annual “Click It or Ticket” mobilization, has been highly effective at raising the seat belt usage rate: the national usage rate increased from 58 percent in 1994 to 82 percent in 2007.
· Too many still haven’t gotten the message — Nearly one-fifth (18%) of all motor vehicle occupants still do not buckle up: nighttime drivers, young males, and teens are among those least likely to wear seat belts, which greatly increases the risk of death for members of these groups.
