BY ASHLEY LAWRENCE, Bowling Green, KY--   In cooperation with the KYTC Department of Transportation Safety, the Barren River Area Development District surveyed 50 locations for seatbelt usage in the ten-county region. The September 2007 survey resulted in a sample size of 14,521 front seat occupants (including 13,218 drivers) and 20 child passengers ages 1-4. 

The national average for seatbelt usage is currently 82% compared to Kentucky’s average of 72%, according to Boyd Sigler, director of the Department of Transportation Safety.  In 2006, 53.92% of vehicle occupants were observed wearing seatbelts in the BRADD region.  This year, the total number has increased to 64.05%.  The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet selected 609 locations for observation, representing all 120 counties.  Kentucky’s new seatbelt usage percentage will be released upon the completion of surveys conducted by other Area Development Districts around the state.   

An increase in seatbelt usage in the state of Kentucky can be largely attributed to the passage and enforcement of the primary seatbelt law, effective January 1, 2007.  According to the law, any operator or passenger of a motor vehicle manufactured after 1981 must wear a properly adjusted and fastened seatbelt while driving or riding on public roadways.  Drivers can be stopped and cited if anyone in the vehicle is not wearing a seatbelt, even if it is their only violation.  The law carries a $50.00 fine for violation.  According to the Department of Transportation Safety, it’s estimated Kentucky will see an 11% increase in seatbelt usage, saving 62 lives, preventing 740 serious injuries, and resulting in a cost savings of $148 million per year due to the passage of the primary seatbelt law. 

While the Barren River Area has made significant strides in increasing seatbelt usage, much more can be done.  The area continues to lag behind state averages, and falls far below national averages.  Failure to buckle up contributes to more fatalities than any other single traffic safety behavior.  Increasing seatbelt use is the single most effective thing we can do to save lives and reduce injuries on Kentucky roads.

For more information on the Safety Committee’s plan of action to continue to increase seatbelt usage, please contact Ashley Lawrence, Safety Coordinator at (270) 781-2381 ext. 141.  Drive Smart, Kentucky!