Thousands of fatalities prevented by record seat belt usage
More than ever Americans are strapping on their seat belts when they hop into their cars.
A record 82 percent of Americans wear their safety belts while driving or riding in their vehicles, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta announced last Friday, an increase of two percentage points from last year. By comparison, about 58 percent of Americans buckled up in 1994, and 71 percent strapped themselves in by 2000, according to the Associated Press.