Maryland has one of the highest percentages of seat belt use in the United States, according to a recently released study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). According to the study, 94.7% of Maryland drivers regularly used seatbelts in 2010, an increase from the 94.0% found in 2009.
Since 2003, Maryland has shown a consistent year-by-year increase in the percentage of drivers who use seatbelts, with the state beginning at 87.9% in 2003 and rising steadily since then. Only five states rank higher than Maryland in seat belt use, with Hawaii ranking number one with 97.6% seat belt use. The lowest state for 2010 was New Hampshire with 72.2% of drivers using seat belts. The NHTSA found that, as a whole, 85% of drivers in the United States use seat belts.
While not all states have strict laws governing the use of seat belts, vehicle restraint systems are an incredibly important factor in preventing auto accident injuries and death. However, seat belts cannot protect against all manner of injuries that can be sustained during a car crash; for example, they are not able to protect a person’s entire body from an impact or guard against extremely dangerous accidents, such as head-on collisions or some forms of truck accidents.
Seat belts can protect against major injuries in a car crash, but they cannot prevent reckless or negligent driving of others on the road. When the actions of a negligent driver cause the injuries of accident victims, he or she can be held liable for the damages. The skilled Maryland auto accident attorneys with Alpert Schreyer can fight to obtain your rightful compensation. To speak to us about your case today, call (844) 632-7274 for a complimentary consultation.