Buckle
Up America Campaign.
Safety belts are ultimately
your best protection in the event of a crash. Buckling up
reduces your chances of being killed or seriously injured by up
to 50% and when properly
installed, child safety seats reduce the risk of death in a
motor vehicle
crash by 71% for infants and 54% for toddlers.
It's The Law
Massachusetts law requires
that everyone in a motor vehicle be properly restrained. It is
the driver’s responsibility to ensure that every passenger
under 16 years old is wearing a safety belt. Officers may stop
any vehicle in which a child under 12 years old is not wearing a
safety belt or is not in a child safety seat. By increasing
safety belt use, we will reduce motor vehicle deaths and
injuries and economic loss in Massachusetts.
Massachusetts is Serious About Saving
Lives
The low use of safety belts
was a major factor in the 477 fatalities and more than 91,000
injuries and $6.3 billion in economic costs associated with
motor vehicle crashes in Massachusetts in 2001.
The goal of the campaign is
to increase the safety belt use rate in Massachusetts
to 65% in
2004. Currently our safety belt use rate is 62%, as compared
to
the national rate of 79%.
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