Georgia Safety Facts February 2009

1. Georgia Safety Facts February 2009 Georgia’s overall seat belt use rate has remained consistently above the national average; however, its pickup truck seat belt use is much lower. Georgia’s primary seat belt law provides an exemption for pickup trucks. NHTSA estimates that if Georgia amended its primary seat belt law to include pickup trucks, its pickup truck seat belt use rate could increase by approximately 10 percentage points. In 2000, crashes cost Georgia $7.9 billion – About $959 for each resident • With a comprehensive primary seat belt law, each year Georgia would save about: • 30 lives • 454 serious injuries • $104 million in costs • (Based on a 10.3 percentage point increase from the 2008 GA pickup truck seat belt use rate.) SAFETEA-LU provides State incentives for the enactment and enforcement of primary seat belt laws. If Georgia passes a comprehensive primary law including pickup trucks, the state could be eligible to receive about: $ 20.7 Million FOR USE AS SAMPLE ONLY

2. 49.1% of Georgia’s motor vehicle traffic fatalities are in rural areas. The fatality rate in rural areas is almost twice the rate in urban locations. Source: 2007 FARS Data 22% of Georgia’s passenger vehicle occupant fatalities are in pickup trucks. Source: 2007 FARS Data In Georgia, a much larger percentage of pickup truck fatalities are unrestrained compared to passenger car fatalities. Source: 2007 FARS Data 79% of nighttime pickup truck fatalities are unrestrained in Georgia compared to 70% of daytime pickup truck fatalities. Source: 2007 FARS Data