More Idahoans are Buckling Up

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KLIX)-The number of Idaho travelers choosing to put on a seat belt went up according to the latest survey. According to the Idaho Office of Highway Safety (OHS) the use of seat belts in vehicles went up five percent from last year to 87.6 percent; in 2021 the survey showed seat belt use at 82.9 percent. “This increase in seat belt use is a good sign for Idaho because seat belts save lives,” said OHS Occupant Protection Program Manager Tabitha Smith. “We want everyone to buckle up. One click can save your life.” In 2021, 38 percent (103 people) of all fatalities in the state involved people not wearing a seat belt, according to OHS. Surviving a crash increases 50 percent by wearing a seat belt. The survey was conducted in June as survey teams watched more than 25,000 people driving at 180 sites across the state. The observers were looking for seat belt use in the front seat of vehicles.