Seatbelts are a great help in ensuring that one is safe from accidents. This restraint system has been offered in various vehicles since the 1950s.
Time and again, such safety systems have proven that they can significantly help in lowering the severity of injuries in the event of vehicle crashes. However, in spite of its great benefits, a number of people are still not putting it to good use.
Drop on seatbelt use
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has been bullish in promoting the use of seatbelts. However, in the National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS) conducted by the agency in 2011, there is a significant decrease in seatbelt use among occupants in the western region of the country. The same was also observed with occupants traveling during weekday rush hours, as the figure significantly dropped from 86 percent in 2010 to 83 percent in 2011. The NOPUS is annually conducted by the National Center for Statistics and Analysis (NCSA) of the NHTSA.
Nationwide decline in the usage of seatbelts
The same study also revealed that seatbelt use in three out of the four regions in the country has dipped, except from the Midwest area where it saw a 2 percent point increase. Among the four regions of the country, people from the Northeast and South have the lowest percentage of seatbelt use at 80 percent. However, people living in the western region of the country have the highest percentage of seatbelt usage at 93 percent.
NHTSA’s promotion of seatbelt use
To address this trend, the NHTSA has intensified its seatbelt use awareness campaign. Click It or Ticket (CIOT) is just one of the major programs that the agency has initiated. To ensure that it is properly implemented, the NHTSA calls for the help of Law Enforcement agencies. They have prepared the Products for Enforcement Action Kit (PEAK) that aims to help law enforcers implement these legislations.
Your role as a citizen
In your very own little way, you can do something to help promote the use of these safety belts by actively participating in information drives that aim to inform the people about the great benefits of buckling up. You may visit the NHTSA’s website and check the agency’s various programs that aim to promote road safety. Follow the tips that the website gives and obey all pertinent traffic laws.
Most importantly, the greatest contribution you can do for the success of this campaign is by buckling yourself up, and your loved ones. By doing so, you not only ensure the safety of your life and the ones you care about, you will also not end up needing a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer to help file for personal injury claims when you get badly injured after a crash.
