New Hampshire has set an all-time state record for the number of drivers on the road using their seat belts, according to a recent article in The Eagle-Tribune. In 2011, the New Hampshire Highway Safety Agency (NHHSA) announced that 75.02 percent of New Hampshire drivers are buckling up before they travel – the highest percentage recorded since the agency began surveying seat belt use in the state.
The NHHSA first started keeping track of seat belt use in 1984. In that year, only 16.06 percent of New Hampshire drivers surveyed said that they regularly wear their seat belts. The NHHSA applauds the increase in seat belt use, but states that more work is needed in order to put New Hampshire in the top tier of states with the most seat belt use. The national average for seat belt use in 2011 was 86 percent, and some states, such as Washington, report that 98 percent of their drivers buckle up.
The survey also found that women are slightly more likely than men to wear their seat belts regularly, and drivers of more expensive cars are slightly more likely to buckle up than drivers of older or less expensive cars. New Hampshire does not require drivers or passengers to wear seat belts unless they are younger than 18 years old.
Buckling a seat belt is an easy way to help prevent serious injury or death in a crash. If you or someone you love has been injured in a car accident, the experienced New Hampshire car crash attorneys at Tenn And Tenn, P.A. can help. For a free consultation, call (888) 332-5855.