The California Office of Traffic Safety has released its annual seatbelt usage data for the state of California. While the rest of the state is buckling up like never before, the Los Angeles area seems to be lagging behind.
According to the data, overall seat belt usage rates in California are approximately 96.6%. That is a record for the Golden State, and an accomplishment that Los Angeles car accident lawyers are definitely proud of. After all, California’s seatbelt usage rates are some of the highest in the country. More numbers of drivers who are buckled in safely simply mean more drivers who enjoy basic protection against severe injuries.
However, when it comes to the Los Angeles area, seatbelt usage rates decline to just about 95.6%. A 95% seatbelt usage rate may seem good enough, but the California Office of Traffic Safety doesn’t think so. The agency has set a goal of requiring every person who gets into a car to buckle up. According to the agency, 100% seatbelt usage rates could result in as many as 1,000 lives being saved in accidents every year.
The need for Los Angeles motorists to wear seatbelts is even more severe now, because of the increased number of motorists on our streets. You need to buckle up every time you step into a car, but during the holiday season, when your risks of an accident are at their highest, it’s even more imperative that you and everyone else in your car wear safety restraints. It takes barely a couple of seconds to buckle up, but it could save your life. Even in moderate impact accidents, wearing a seatbelt dramatically reduces your risk of suffering serious injuries.
