Seat belt use in the United States

[April 06, 2009]  (AP)  Seat belt use in 2008 climbed to 83 percent, an all-time high. Fourteen states and the District of Columbia had rates of 90 percent or better. Here's a look at seat belt use across the nation.

State; 2007; 2008; Change

Ala. 82.3 86.1 +3.8

Alaska 82.4 84.9 +2.5

Ariz. 80.9 79.9 -1.0

Ark. 69.9 70.4 +0.5

Calif. 94.6 95.7 +1.1

Colo. 81.1 81.7 +0.6

Conn. 85.8 88.0 +2.2

Del. 86.6 91.3 +4.7

D.C. 87.1 90.0 +2.9

Fla. 79.1 81.7 +2.6

Ga. 89.0 89.6 +0.6

Hawaii 97.6 97.0 -0.6

Idaho 78.5 76.9 -1.6

Ill. 90.1 90.5 +0.4

Ind. 87.9 91.2 +3.3

Iowa 91.3 92.9 +1.6

Kan. 75.0 77.4 +2.4

Ky. 71.8 73.3 +1.5

La. 75.2 75.5 +0.3

Maine 79.8 83.0 +3.2

Md. 93.1 93.3 +0.2

Mass. 68.7 66.8 -1.9

Mich. 93.7 97.2 +3.5

Minn. 87.8 86.7 -1.1

Miss. 71.8 71.3 -0.5

Mo. 77.2 75.8 -1.4

Mont. 79.6 79.3 -0.3

Neb. 78.7 82.6 +3.9

Nev. 92.2 90.9 -1.3

N.H. 63.8 69.2 +5.4

N.J. 91.4 91.8 +0.4

N.M. 91.5 91.1 -0.4

N.Y. 83.5 89.1 +5.6

N.C. 88.8 89.8 +1.0

N.D. 82.2 81.6 -0.6

Ohio 81.6 82.7 +1.1

Okla. 83.1 84.3 +1.2

Ore. 95.3 96.3 +1.0

Pa. 86.7 85.1 -1.6

R.I. 79.1 72.0 -7.1

S.C. 74.5 79.0 +4.5

S.D. 73.0 71.8 -1.2

Tenn. 80.2 81.5 +1.3

Texas 91.8 91.2 -0.6

Utah 86.8 86.0 -0.8

Vt. 87.1 87.3 +0.2

Va. 79.9 80.6 +0.7

Wash. 96.4 96.5 +0.1

W.Va. 89.6 89.5 -0.1

Wis. 75.3 74.2 -1.1

Wyo. 72.2 68.6 -3.6

Nation 82.0 83.0 +1.0

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Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

[Associated Press]

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