Facts & Stats

Crime 1 murder every 32.3 minutes
1 aggravated assault every 37.8 seconds
1 violent crime every 22.8 seconds
1 property crime every 3.2 seconds

Crash 1 fatality every 16 minutes
1 injury every 14 seconds
1 property damage crash every 8 seconds
1 law enforcement reported crash every 6 seconds

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2010 Florida Fatalities Due to a Lack of Safety Belt Use (alphabetical)

Alachua –9
Baker – 7
Bay – 8
Bradford – 6
Brevard – 27
Broward – 52
Calhoun – 2
Charlotte – 9
Citrus – 11
Clay – 6
Collier – 11
Columbia – 16
DeSoto – 1
Dixie – 2
Duval – 35
Escambia – 13
Flagler – 9
Franklin – 3
Gadsden – 7
Gilchrist –1
Glades – 0
Gulf – 3
Hamilton – 6
Hardee – 6
Hendry – 6
Hernando – 15
Highlands – 5
Hillsborough – 43
Holmes – 43
Indian River – 13
Jackson – 9
Jefferson – 1
Lafayette – 1
Lake – 23
Lee – 15
Leon – 7
Levy – 9
Liberty – 2
Madison – 1
Manatee – 17
Marion – 34
Martin – 11
Miami-Dade – 82
Monroe – 6
Nassau – 13
Okaloosa – 9
Okeechobee – 9
Orange – 40
Osceola – 9
Palm Beach – 45
Pasco – 29
Pinellas – 31
Polk – 32
Putnam – 18
St. Johns – 7
St. Lucie – 12
Santa Rosa – 6
Sarasota – 12
Seminole – 10
Sumter – 10
Suwannee – 11
Taylor – 2
Union – 2
Volusia – 28
Wakulla – 2
Walton – 0
Washington – 2

TOTAL – 908

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• The nighttime passenger vehicle occupant fatality rate is about three times higher than the daytime rate.
• Lowest levels are between midnight and 4 a.m.
• Increasing safety belt usage among occupants traveling at night could substantially lessen injury and fatality rates.
• During 2010, in Florida traffic crashes occurring at night:
• 571 persons died
• 10,518 persons were reported injured

ALL as a direct result of being UNBUCKLED

General Safety Belt Usage in Florida (2009)

• 1,555 people were killed in vehicles equipped with safety belts.
• 917 (59%) of these people killed were not wearing safety belts.
• 44 of the 88 (50%) children ages 0 to 17 killed were not using safety equipment.

Safety Belt Usage by Drivers in Florida (2009)

• 232 drivers not wearing their safety belts were killed in traffic crashes.
• 5,911 drivers not wearing their safety belts were injured in traffic crashes.
• 15,727 drivers involved in traffic crashes were not wearing their safety belts.

Day and Time of Crashes in Florida (2009)

• Friday, during the 4 p.m. hour, had the highest number of all types of crashes (2,921).
• Sunday, during the 12:00 midnight hour, had the highest number of fatal crashes (33).

Statewide Averages for Safety Belt Usage

2010: 87.4% 2009: 85.2% 2008: 81.7% 2007: 79.1% 2006:80.7% 2005: 73.9%

Safety Belt Usage in 12 Survey Counties

Collier:
93.7% (2010)
93.91.0% (2009)
92.0% (2008)

Lee:
93.0% (2010)
90.4% (2009)
91.4% (2008)

Palm Beach:
89.2% (2010
87.6% (2009)
83.0% (2008)

Marion:
81.5% (2010)
85.2% (2009)
82.7% (2008)

Leon:
89.4% (2010)
80.6% (2009)
82.0% (2008)

Duval:
88.9% (2010)
79.5% (2009)
81.3% (2008)

Orange:
83.8% (2010
84.3% (2009)
81.3% (2008)

Broward:
87.0% (2010)
87.0% (2009)
81.1% (2008)

Miami Dade:
85.9% (2010)
87.1% (2009)
79.6% (2008)

Pinellas:
88.5% (2010)
85.7% (2009)
79.1% (2008)

Hillsborough:
85.6% (2010)
87.3% (2009)
78.6% (2008)

Polk:
87.1% (2010)
73.0% (2009)
73.0% (2008)

Safety Belt Usage by Gender

Female:
90.7% (2010)
89.3% (2009)
86.6% (2008)

Male:
84.2% (2010)
83.9% (2009)
78.1% (2008)

Safety Belt Usage by Vehicle Type

Van:
90.4% (2010)
89.3% (2009)
86.0% (2008)

SUV:
89.2% (2010)
88.6% (2009)
85.1% (2008)

Car :
87.7% (2010)
86.7% (2009)
82.0% (2008)

Pickup:
79.9% (2010)
79.8% (2009)
74.6% (2008)

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2009 U.S. Safety Belt Use Percentage (in order of rank)

1.Michigan – 98
2. Hawaii – 97.9
3. Oregon – 96.6
4. Washington – 96.4
5. California – 95.3
6. Maryland – 94
7. Iowa – 93.1
8. Texas – 92.9
9. New Jersey – 92.7
10. Indiana – 92.6
11. Illinois – 91.7
12. New Mexico – 91.4
13. Nevada – 91
14. Minnesota – 90.2
15. Alabama – 90
16. North Carolina – 89.5
17. Georgia – 88.9
18. Delaware – 88.4
19. New York – 88.0
20. Pennsylvania – 87.9
21. West Virginia – 87
22. Alaska – 86.1
23. Utah – 86.1
24. Connecticut – 85.9
25. Vermont – 85.4
26. Florida – 85.2
27. Nebraska – 84.8
28. Oklahoma – 84.2
29. Ohio – 83.6
30. Maine – 82.6
31. Virginia – 82.3
32. North Dakota – 81.5
33. South Carolina – 81.5
34. Colorado – 81.1
35. Arizona – 80.8
36. Tennessee – 80.6
37. Kentucky – 79.7
38. Idaho – 79.2
39. Montana – 79.2
40. Missouri – 77.2
41. Kansas – 77
42. Mississippi – 76
43. Rhode Island – 74.7
44. Louisiana – 74.5
45. Arkansas – 74.4
46. Wisconsin – 73.8
47. Massachusetts – 73.6
48. South Dakota – 72.1
49. New Hampshire – 68.9
50. Wyoming – 67.6

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Top 5 Safety Belt Myths: Busted

Myth I’d rather be thrown clear in a crash. Busted Being thrown safely clear in a crash is almost impossible. When you’re thrown, you may be thrown through the windshield, scraped along the pavement, or even crushed by your own vehicle or another one. Your best bet in a crash is to stay inside the vehicle, securely held by your safety belt.

Myth I don’t want to be trapped in a fire or underwater. Busted A fire or water submersion following a crash is an extremely rare occurrence. When they do occur, the greatest danger is actually with the impact that precedes the fire or submersion in water. Safety belts prevent injury during impact and can keep you conscious so that you can escape your vehicle.

Myth Belts can hurt you in a crash. Busted Properly worn safety belts seldom cause injuries. A safety belt may cause surface bruises, but these are generally much less severe than would have been the case without a belt. Studies have consistently shown that injuries in most serious crashes would have been much more severe had safety belts not been worn.

Myth Drivers in air bag-equipped vehicles don’t need to wear safety belts. Busted Air bags provide supplemental protection in frontal crashes, but motorists can slide under them if they are not wearing a safety belt. In addition, air bags will not help in a side or rear impact or rollover crash. Motorists should wear a safety belt at all times in order to be protected in the event of any type of crash.

Myth I’m not going far and I won’t be going fast. Busted Most crash deaths occur within 25 miles of home and at speeds of less than 40 miles per hour. This emphasizes that everyday driving from just one neighbor’s home to another, to school, to the store or just one farm to another poses the greatest danger. Always buckle up.

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