Seat belts save over 12,000 lives a year, but there is a big difference in usage between the states. The variation in buckling correlates with the state seat-belt laws—the stronger the better for optimal safety.

The nationwide seat belt use rate in 2010 was 85 percent—the highest it’s ever been. Even better, 15 states plus the District of Columbia have use rates over 90 percent, according to a new survey from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Three of those states hit over 97 percent: Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington. Not surprising, the state with the lowest use rate is the only state without a seat belt law—New Hampshire at 72.2 percent. Live free or die, as the state motto goes.

The study also noted the importance of strong seat belt laws. Kansas strengthened their law last year to a primary enforcement law (meaning, the police can pull you over for a seat-belt violation) and the compliance rate jumped from 77 percent to 81.8 percent.

There is no reason why this country can’t approach 100-percent compliance. Seat belts are an easy way to add a level of safety each and every time you get into your vehicle. It protects passengers from hitting hard vehicle surfaces or being ejected from the vehicle in a crash. So take a couple seconds to buckle up and model good behavior for the next generation. It really does save lives.

Need further convincing? Check out our more than 325 crash-test videos.

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