Louisiana matches record-high seat-belt use in 2011

More than three-fourths of Louisianans are buckling up these days, according to a survey released today by the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission. This year, 77.7% of motorists had their seat belts fastened during the survey, matching the state’s record-high rate achieved in 2005. The 2011 survey indicates an increase of almost two percentage points over the 75.9% rate recorded in 2010. The Lafayette area had the best percentage of seat-belt use in the survey, 80.5%, while Baton Rouge ranked third among the eight metro areas surveyed, with 78.5% compliance. At 74.8%, the Alexandria area had the lowest seat-belt use rate in the state. “We’ve come a long way since the mid-1980s, when only 12% of motorists were using their safety belts,” says Lt. Col. John LeBlanc, executive director of the commission. “We believe increased seat-belt use is among the factors that have led to recent reductions in highway deaths in Louisiana.” The practice of strapping on seat belts in Louisiana has traditionally lagged behind the national average, which in 2010 was 85%. Observers at 418 locations across Louisiana provided the data for the LHSC’s 2011 seat belt use survey, which was performed by Applied Technology Research Corporation of Baton Rouge. A total of 61,185 drivers and front-seat passengers were observed at 418 locations.