Seat belt use up, but how does the state know? | News

SALISBURY - Do you buckle up behind the wheel? The latest survey from the state shows that more and more drivers and passengers are wearing seat belts. But how does the state actually know whether or not drivers and passengers buckle up?

It turns out the state of North Carolina surveys samples of drivers every month and simply asks if they and passengers buckle up.

If the surveyors were to ask Salisbury resident Debbie Teague, they would get an emphatic answer.

"I require that everybody in my car buckle the seat belt," Teague said, after buckling up for a drive in her Toyota. In fact, it was a habit for this mother of two before it was state law. "It's been a habit for me forever, I can remember driving a '73 Cutlass and buckling the seat belt. I've always done that and I have grown children now and they have always done that."

Debbie isn't alone, according to the latest survey issued by the state for June.

In Mecklenburg County, seat belt use rose to 92.7% based on a sampling of 2,124 drivers and passengers. In Rowan County, 93.1% of just under 2000 drivers are buckling up, the lowest percentage was 75.5% in Columbus County.

Locally, five counties were over 90% when it came to seat belts.

"I have noticed a majority of people seem to be wearing seat belts," said Master Police officer Daniel Fleming.  "Of course you do have the occasional driver that are not wearing seat belts, it will save your life."

"It's not hard to get in the car and buckle your seat belt...every car has that capability, why wouldn't you use it," Teague added.

Wednesday night the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police conducted a checkpoint at Independence Boulevard and Village Lake Drive and found 25 seat belt violations. Police said that amounted to about one seat belt violation for every 20 cars stopped.