COLLEGE STATION — Although Texas backroads often have the most beautiful landscapes, taking the “scenic route” may not be the safest way to travel.
Though rural residents account for only 20 percent of the state’s population, traffic crashes in rural areas account for 60 percent of the state’s traffic fatalities. In a recent study of safety re straint usage in 26 rural Texas communities, it was discovered that 50.2 percent of drivers and passengers do not wear their safety belts.
Why?
“I think this is because people do not perceive the risk to be as great if they’re not on a major freeway or in a lot of congested traffic,” said Janie Harris, a Texas Agricultural Extension Servic e passenger safety specialist.
Thirty-four percent of the vehicles observed were pickups. Fifty-eight percent of the drivers — and passengers in the pickups — were not wearing safety belts. This figure is significantly highe r than the rate for passenger vehicles.
Texas will join a nationwide effort to promote usage of safety belts May 17-25.
“Buckle Up America is a campaign that is endorsed by the National Traffic Safety Administration. In Texas, patrol officers are being encouraged to increase education about safety belts and issue ci tations to those who break the law,” Harris explained.
Buckle Up America promotes safety restraint awareness and shows people the correct way to wear their safety belts.
“Many people will wear their shoulder belt under their arm and that could be very deadly if they are in a crash because the strap can crush their ribs and their vital organs,” Harris said. She adde d that of all persons killed in passenger cars, trucks and buses during 1996 in Texas, where safety belt usage was known, 56 percent were reported as not wearing seat belts when the fatal crash occur red.
Texas Department of Public Safety statistics show the chance of being killed in a crash during 1996 was more than nine times greater for persons not wearing seat belts.
Harris added that the death rate on Texas highways for 1996 was the highest it had been since 1990.
“It might make us stop and consider if speed is an indicator or a factor in this increase,” she said.
Buckle Up America week will also feature a national press conference as well as frequent television appearances by Vince and Larry, the crash dummies.
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