Cache drivers are Utah’s worst seat belt users
A huge percentage of drivers in Cache County fail to wear their seat belts compared to five other counties in Utah, according to a report from the Utah Highway Safety Office.
The seat belt usage rate in Cache County dropped from 72.5 percent in 2000 to 71.7 percent in 2001. The state average increased from 75.7 percent in 2000 to 77.9 percent in 2001.
In the state of Utah, all drivers and passengers in motor vehicles are required by law to wear seat belts.
Mike Weibel, public information officer for the Bear River Health Department, said, “Obviously from the numbers we still have a lot of people for one reason or another who choose not to wear a seat belt. And in this day and age we find that a lot more damage gets done to the body if you are not wearing a seat belt.”
The Utah Highway Safety Office reported a total of 65,650 drivers and front seat passengers were observed at 162 sites in Cache, Davis, Salt Lake, Utah, Washington and Weber counties. Davis county seat belt use was 81.6 percent in 2001, Salt Lake County was 78.4, Utah was 73.3, Washington 76.9 and Weber 77.
The Bear River Health Department conducted observations in Cache County in February, May, August and November last year.
Weibel said if they are able to get it instilled in the kids when they first learn to drive to wear their seat belts maybe nationally those numbers would come down.
Todd Barson, an injury prevention specialist for the Health Department, said, “The seat belt usage rate for Cache County is a serious concern.”
The Health Department and Bear River SAFE KIDS Coalition will be encouraging local law enforcement agencies to be more vigilant in their enforcement of seat belt laws.
Barson said the report wasn’t entirely negative. Child car seat use climbed in Cache County from 79.5 percent in 2000 to 86.2 percent in 2001.
More specifically, car seat use for children 2 to 10 years olds rose from 72.5 percent in 2000 to 83.2 percent last year.
He said increasing car seat use for kids ages 2 to 10 has been a primary goal of the Bear River SAFE KIDS Coalition.