AAA Kansas Manager of Public and Government Affairs Shawn Steward says the state has “some work to do” when it comes to seatbelt education.
According to recently released statistics from the Kansas Department of Transportation, since 2012 there have been just over 2,800 fatality crashes within the state. Steward says of those, less than half of the individuals involved were wearing their seatbelts at the time of the accident.
Nationwide, Steward says nearly 43,000 people lost their lives in crashes on US Highways in 2021 alone. He says over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, they observed an increase in several contributing behaviors including distracted driving and excessive speed.
He adds that KHP has noted a significant increase in the number of citations given out for vehicles traveling over 100 mph in recent years. According to Steward, about 86 percent of Kansas drivers frequently use their seatbelts which is just below the national average of 90.4 percent.
Steward also says women are more likely to wear their seatbelts than men and truck drivers are between 10-15 percent less likely to buckle up than drivers in SUVs and passenger cars. Steward reminds residents it is illegal in the state to drive unrestrained, however, he says the penalty is not that steep meaning it is not the most effective tool in preventing unrestrained driving.
If you would like more information or helpful tips on unrestrained driving and how you can help avoid becoming a statistic visit cluballiance.aaa.com.
