MADISON, Wis. — A record-high number of drivers are buckling up across the Badger state.
According to a recent survey by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), 94 percent of drivers wear their seat belt. It’s the highest percentage of seat belt use reported since WisDOT began doing the survey 25 years ago.
“Wearing a seat belt is one of the simplest things a vehicle occupant can do to protect themselves on the road,” said Wisconsin State Patrol Superintendent Tim Carnahan. “The results of this survey are encouraging, but they also show there’s more work to do. To the remaining 6% we ask, what’s holding you back? We’ll continue to do our part to educate drivers about the importance of buckling up, but we hope drivers will do their part and make it click.”
Last year, 7,648 crashes in Wisconsin involved motorists who were not wearing seat belts, resulting in 176 deaths and 2,022 injuries among unbelted occupants.
On average, half of all vehicle passengers killed in Wisconsin crashes are not wearing the safety device, according to crash analysis data where seat belt use is a known factor.
In 1961, Wisconsin became the first state to require seat belts be installed in new cars. Seat belts did not become mandatory equipment in all vehicles in the United States until 1968.
