Someone has been watching you.  Literally watching you…to determine whether you and other motor vehicle occupants are wearing your seat belts.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) establishes criteria by which each state may conduct a uniform survey of seat belt use.  In cooperation with NHTSA, the University of Tennessee Center for Transportation Research conducted an observational study in 2023 to determine the seat belt usage rate on Tennessee highways.

The Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) recently released the results from its annual observational study. The study reported a statewide usage rate of 92% which reflected an increase of 1.5% from that of the previous year. This result reflects the largest number of seat belt users ever found in Tennessee.

THSO Director Buddy Lewis said that, in announcing the results, “…the purpose of this annual survey is to help the THSO and traffic safety partners identify the demographics and areas of the state most in need of support to increase seat belt usage.  Our goal is to reach as many drivers as possible to reduce traffic injuries and fatalities across Tennessee.”

The “Click It-Or Ticket” campaign reminds drivers to buckle up and is widely credited with increasing seat belt usage.

Some significant facts from the recent survey include:

• Data was collected from 190 pre-selected locations
• All vehicle types were included
• The highest usage rate was among occupants of SUV’s
• The lowest usage rate was among occupants of pick-up trucks
• Female occupants were more likely to buckle-up than are males
• Davidson and Knox County occupants had the highest usage rate

To learn more visit www.tntrafficsafety.org.