In 2007, the use of seat belts in motor vehicles saved an estimated 15,147 lives. Seat belts have saved 76,936 lives during the 5-year period from 2003 through 2007. These annual lives-saved counts, shown in Table 1, have been produced by NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis since 1975. The counts are estimates which are calculated using the effectiveness of each device or law that is mentioned. In addition to the 15,147 lives saved in 2007 by seat belts (occupants age 5 and older), 2,788 lives were saved by frontal air bags (occupants age 13 and older), 1,784 lives were saved by motorcycle helmets, 826 lives (ages 18, 19, and 20) were saved by 21-year-old minimum drinking age laws, and 382 lives (age 4 and younger) were saved by child restraints (child safety seats and lap/shoulder belts). An additional 5,024 lives would have been saved in 2007 if all unrestrained motor vehicle occupants involved in fatal crashes had worn their seat belts; and if all motorcyclists had been helmeted, an additional 800 lives would have been saved. As the number of motorcyclists has greatly increased in re-cent years, the number of lives saved by motorcycle helmets has also gone up sharply, from 1,173 in 2003 to 1,784 in 2007, an increase of more than 50 percent. The number of additional lives that would have been saved if motorcycle helmet use had been 100 percent also rose each year since 2003. (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting