A recent study shows Cass County residents are buckling up at a rate above the national average. The research finds seat belt use among county residents is up more than 10 percentage points over 2004, climbing to 82.7 percent (from 71.8 percent in 2004). The 2004 national average for seat belt use among drivers and passengers is 80 percent.

The North Dakota Department of Transportation (DOT) observed about 5,000 people driving and riding in vehicles at 20 locations in Cass County to determine the average seat belt use. Local safety professionals attribute the increase to the long term enforcement and education efforts conducted in Cass County and throughout the state.

“The combined education, enforcement and media coverage emphasizes that we take seat belt safety very seriously in North Dakota,” said Robyn Litke, coordinator of the Safe Communities Coalition. “We believe an enforcement campaign conducted the month before the seat belt, along with the year-round education and media, study is the reason for these amazing findings.”

The Safe Communities Coalition of the Red River Valley assists with the educational and media aspects of Click It or Ticket and other safety belt incentive and education campaigns. Litke believes Cass County would improve its seat belt use even more if the state passed a law that allows police to stop a vehicle because a driver or passenger is not wearing a seat belt. Right now, police can only issue citations for seat belt violations if they’ve already stopped a vehicle for a different violation.

Research shows lap-shoulder belts reduce the risk of fatal injury to front-seat occupants by 45 percent and the risk of moderate-to-critical injuries by 50 percent.