Safety Belt Use Rate Increases Again after 'Click It or Ticket'; N.C. Rate for Drivers, Front Seat Passengers Increases from 84.1 to 86.1 Pct. 7/14/2003
From: Jill Warren Lucas of the Governor's Highway Safety Program, 919-733-3083 or 919-291-6729 (cell) E-mail: jwlucas@dot.state.nc.us RALEIGH, N.C., July 14 -- For the third consecutive year, North Carolina's safety belt use rate for drivers and front seat passengers has increased following the spring "Click It or Ticket" campaign. According to a statewide survey conducted after the campaign concluded, the rate increased from 84.1 to 86.1 percent. The report also documented a marked increase for just drivers, from 83.6 to 87.3 percent. During the May 16 - June 1 high-visibility enforcement and public education campaign, officers statewide wrote more than 16,000 safety belt and child passenger safety citations at more than 4,500 checkpoints and stepped-up patrols. Special emphasis was placed on Buncombe County, which had the lowest observed use rate at just 77.2 percent for drivers. High-visibility enforcement was supported by a paid advertising campaign. The result was a more than 6 percentage-point increase to 83.9 percent. "I commend the many state and local law enforcement officers who worked so hard to make this campaign so successful," said Transportation Secretary Lyndo Tippett. "I am proud of their dedicated efforts of behalf of our motoring public -- and equally proud that more of our drivers and passengers appreciate the lifesaving benefits of buckling up." According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, North Carolina's increased compliance rate for drivers and front seat passengers could result in 22 fewer crash-related fatalities, 600 fewer serious injuries, and a savings of $60 million in medical care, lost productivity and other injury --related costs. Catawba County continues to claim the No. 1 spot for the highest use rate with an impressive 96.8 percent of drivers buckling up. Lincoln County replaces Wake County in the No. 2 spot, with 94.0 percent of its drivers buckling up. Wake's rate for drivers slipped from 91.7 to 89.3 percent compliance, which dropped it to the No 6. Use rates between regions continues to vary, with drivers in the Coastal region reporting the highest use at 88.0 percent. They were followed by Piedmont drivers at 87.3 percent, and Mountain drivers at 85.5 percent. North Carolina findings are comparable to those nationwide, in that low belt use is most common among males, especially those ages 16-24. North Carolina's female drivers use safety belts more often then their male counterparts (92.4 to 84.0 percent). Drivers of vans and pickup trucks reported the lowest belt use, with just 72.8 and 78.2 percent, respectively. Drivers in low-use counties and categories should expect increased enforcement and public education efforts during the next "Click It or Ticket" campaign, Aug. 22 through Sept. 8, said Don Nail, acting director of the Governor's Highway Safety Program. "We will ask law enforcement in every county to conduct checkpoints, increase patrols and, importantly, to hold child passenger safety clinics to help families with children be as safe as they can be," Nail said. ------ Most of the safety belt use rate data is reported for drivers only. In some categories, the combined rate for drivers and front seat passengers also is available. For information regarding this or other North Carolina highway safety issues, contact Jill Warren Lucas at the GHSP, 919-733-3083 (cell: 919-291-6729), or visit the Web site at: http://www.ncdot.org/secretary/ghsp. ------ June 2003 County Rankings by Driver Only The 17 sites are selected by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to represent the entire state. 1. Catawba, 96.9 2. Lincoln, 94.0 3. Stanly, 90.3 4. Cumberland, 89.5 5. Durham, 89.4 6. Wake, 89.3 7. Lenoir, 88.6 8. Onslow, 88.3 8. Richmond, 88.3 10. Pitt, 86.5 11. Caldwell, 86.3 12. Forsyth, 85.8 12. Randolph, 85.8 14. Halifax, 84.7 15. Buncombe, 83.9 15. Guilford, 83.9 15. Mecklenburg, 83.9 ------ County......Driver Only Rate(a) (weighted) ................2002......2003 Buncombe........77.2......83.9 Caldwell........83.3......86.3 Catawba.........91.9......96.9 Cumberland......86.4......89.5 Durham..........87.9......89.4 Forsyth.........82.0......85.8 Guilford........80.2......83.9 Halifax.........82.5......84.7 Lenoir..........87.6......88.6 Lincoln.........87.4......94.0 Mecklenburg.....82.5......83.9 Onslow..........86.3......88.3 Pitt............83.9......86.5 Randolph........81.3......85.8 Richmond........84.1......88.3 Stanly..........85.1......90.3 Wake............91.7......89.3 Source: UNC Highway Safety Research Center (a)For Driver/Passenger rate, contact GHSP at 919-733-3083 ------ Category...Subcategory.............Usage Rate (weighted) .........................................2002.......2003 Overall....Driver........................84.9.......87.3 ...........Right Front Passenger.........80.6.......81.0 ...........Driver, Right Front Passenger.84.1.......86.1 Region (Driver only) ...........Mountain......................81.5.......85.5 ...........Piedmont......................84.9.......87.3 ...........Coastal.......................85.3.......88.0 Vehicle Type (Driver only) ...........Car...........................88.4.......90.7 ...........Van...........................73.3.......72.8 ...........Minivan.......................89.1.......91.0 ...........Pickup Truck..................74.7.......78.2 ...........SUV...........................86.7.......90.2 Sex of Driver ...........Male..........................81.9.......84.0 ...........Female........................89.9.......92.4 Ethnicity of Driver ...........White.........................85.6.......86.6 ...........Black.........................83.9.......88.6 ...........Hispanic......................81.3.......87.0 ...........Asian.........................97.5.......94.3 ...........Native American...............83.2.......100.0 Age of Driver ...........Under 25......................76.5.......84.3 ...........25-44.........................85.4.......87.7 ...........45-64.........................86.8.......87.7 ...........65 and older..................89.1.......89.7 |