Buckle Up Before Thanksgiving Travel -- 11.14.2014
Press Release - November 25, 2014
Contact
Jose Rodriguez, 614-604-5025, [email protected]
Andrea Hauser, 614-645-1667, [email protected]
Buckle Up Before Thanksgiving Travel to Prevent Death and Serious Injury
Proper Seat Belt Use Reduces Risk of Fatal Injury to Front Seat Passengers by 45 Percent
Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel times of the year, putting more people on the road and increasing the likelihood of crashes. Before you hit the road for the holiday, make sure you buckle up on every trip – every time.
Each year in the U.S., tens of thousands of passenger vehicle occupants die in motor vehicle crashes. In 2012, more than 300 people were killed in crashes on Thanksgiving weekend alone. Many of those deaths could have been prevented with one simple click of a seat belt.
Additionally in Franklin County in 2013, 48 people died in crashes. Forty-six percent of them were not using a seat belt or restraint.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that proper seat belt use reduces the risk of fatal injury to front seat passengers by 45 percent, and the risk of moderate to serious injury by 50 percent. In 2012, approximately 12,174 people also survived crashes because they were buckled up. In fact, if everyone had worn their seat belts that year, an additional 3,031 lives could have been saved.
Right now, the overall seat belt use rate in the U.S. is 87 percent, a major increase over the 79 percent use rate in 2003. However in Franklin County, the overall seatbelt use rate for 2014 is 80.5 percent, which is well under the national average.
“Buckling your seat belt is one of the simplest, safest things you’ll ever do – and it may even save your life,” says Andrea Hauser of Franklin County Safe Communities. “So this Thanksgiving, and every day of the year, make sure your seat belt is buckled before you start any road trip -- whether it’s one mile or a thousand.”
For more information on safe Thanksgiving travels, visit trafficsafetymarketing.gov.
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