More People are Buckling Up, Patrol Says

More people are buckling up in the car, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

According to Ohio’s 2010 Observational Seatbelt Survey, 83.8 percent of motorists were found to be in compliance with Ohio’s safety belt law -- a significant increase from the 72.9 percent observed in 2002.

But it's still not enough. Last year more than 60 percent of the people killed on Ohio’s roadways were not wearing a safety belt.

“It’s simple - safety belts save lives and reduce injury in crashes,” said Colonel John Born, Patrol superintendent, in a news release. “It is the easiest thing you can do to protect yourself, your family and your friends.”

The Patrol is encouraging all motorists to buckle up this holiday season and continue to do so throughout the New Year.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, safety belts save more than 13,000 lives every year and remain the single most effective thing you can do to protect yourself in a crash.

In 2010, 467 of the people killed on Ohio’s roadways were not wearing an available safety belt.

Ohio’s safety belt law remains a secondary violation, but troopers continue zero tolerance enforcement when motorists are stopped for other violations and are found not to be wearing their belt.