A look at seat belt use across the nation in 2009
By APWednesday, May 26, 2010
State-by-state seat belt use rate in 2009
The Transportation Department said 84 percent of motorists wore their seat belts in 2009, an all-time high. Eighty-three percent were buckled up in 2008. Here’s a look at the percentage of motorists wearing their seat belts among states and the District of Columbia.
| State | 2008 | 2009 | 2008-2009 | Change |
| Ala. | 86.1 | 90.0 | 3.9 | |
| Alaska | 84.9 | 86.1 | 1.2 | |
| Ariz. | 79.9 | 80.8 | 0.9 | |
| Ark. | 70.4 | 74.4 | 4.0 | |
| Calif. | 95.7 | 95.3 | -0.4 | |
| Colo. | 81.7 | 81.1 | -0.6 | |
| Conn. | 88.0 | 85.9 | -2.1 | |
| Del. | 91.3 | 88.4 | -2.9 | |
| D.C. | 90.0 | 93.0 | 3.0 | |
| Fla. | 81.7 | 85.2 | 3.5 | |
| Ga. | 89.6 | 88.9 | -0.7 | |
| Hawaii | 97.0 | 97.9 | 0.9 | |
| Idaho | 76.9 | 79.2 | 2.3 | |
| Ill. | 90.5 | 91.7 | 1.2 | |
| Ind. | 91.2 | 92.6 | 1.4 | |
| Iowa | 92.9 | 93.1 | 0.2 | |
| Kan. | 77.4 | 77.0 | -0.4 | |
| Ky. | 73.3 | 79.7 | 6.4 | |
| La. | 75.5 | 74.5 | -1.0 | |
| Maine | 83.0 | 82.6 | -0.4 | |
| Md. | 93.3 | 94.0 | 0.7 | |
| Mass. | 66.8 | 73.6 | 6.8 | |
| Mich. | 97.2 | 98.0 | 0.8 | |
| Minn. | 86.7 | 90.2 | 3.5 | |
| Miss. | 71.3 | 76.0 | 4.7 | |
| Mo. | 75.8 | 77.2 | 1.4 | |
| Mont. | 79.3 | 79.2 | -0.1 | |
| Neb. | 82.6 | 84.8 | 2.2 | |
| Nev. | 90.9 | 91.0 | 0.1 | |
| N.H. | 69.2 | 68.9 | -0.3 | |
| N.J. | 91.8 | 92.7 | 0.9 | |
| N.M. | 91.1 | 90.1 | -1.0 | |
| N.Y. | 89.1 | 88.0 | -1.1 | |
| N.C. | 89.8 | 89.5 | -0.3 | |
| N.D. | 81.6 | 81.5 | -0.1 | |
| Ohio | 82.7 | 83.6 | 0.9 | |
| Okla. | 84.3 | 84.2 | -0.1 | |
| Ore. | 96.3 | 96.6 | 0.3 | |
| Pa. | 85.1 | 87.9 | 2.8 | |
| R.I. | 72.0 | 74.7 | 2.7 | |
| S.C. | 79.0 | 81.5 | 2.5 | |
| S.D. | 71.8 | 72.1 | 0.3 | |
| Tenn. | 81.5 | 80.6 | -0.9 | |
| Texas | 91.2 | 92.9 | 1.7 | |
| Utah | 86.0 | 86.1 | 0.1 | |
| Vt. | 87.3 | 85.3 | -2.0 | |
| Va. | 80.6 | 82.3 | 1.7 | |
| Wash. | 96.5 | 96.4 | -0.1 | |
| W.Va. | 89.5 | 87.0 | -2.5 | |
| Wis. | 74.2 | 73.8 | -0.4 | |
| Wyo. | 68.6 | 67.6 | -1.0 | |
| Nation | 83.0 | 84.0 | 1.0 |
Source: Department of Transportation.
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