Backseat buckling saving lives, but number still a cause for concern

Dear Editor:

A recent survey conducted for the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission showed that 58 percent of backseat vehicle passengers over 13 years old in our state are buckling up. While 58 percent may not seem like a particularly high rate of compliance, it is important to keep in mind that the law extending seat belt use requirements to backseat passengers is only about a year old. Prior to the law being passed in 2009 only 27 percent of backseat passengers were buckling up. That means that seat belt use by backseat passengers has almost doubled.

Those of us charged with promoting highway safety are certainly not satisfied with a 58 percent compliance rate, but we believe it is a strong start for a new law of which some motorists may not yet be aware. The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission is committed to spreading the word to every corner of our state that all passengers in a motor vehicle must be buckled up or be secured in an age-appropriate child safety seat.

Buckling up every time you drive or ride in a vehicle is one of the simplest acts you can do to protect yourself in a crash. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, seat belts reduce the risk of fatal injury to passenger car occupants by 45 percent and the risk of moderate-to-critical injuries by 50 percent. About 65 percent of the people killed in crashes in Louisiana in 2008 were not buckled up.

Our 2010 survey found that 75.9 percent of front-seat passengers and drivers were buckled up, an increase of almost one percentage point over last year. That means that almost one out of four front-seat passengers are still not buckling up as required by law. Unfortunately, we continue to lag behind the national average seat belt use rate of 83 percent in 2008.

The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission is asking everyone in Louisiana to help us spread the word about seat belt safety and the new law that requires all adult vehicle passengers, regardless of seating position, to buckle up and for children to be in an age-appropriate child safety seat. Buckling up is the smart thing to do. It’s the safe thing to do and it’s the law in Louisiana.

Lt. Col. John LeBlanc,

Executive Director,

La. Highway Safety Commission