Seat Belt Safety In Back Seats A Concern For Thanksgiving Travel
BOSTON (CBS) -- With an estimated 42 million Americans jumping in cars this week for Thanksgiving travel, the author of a recent transportation study wants people thinking about buckling up - in the front and back seats.
In 2013, 883 people were killed while riding unbuckled in the back seats of cars. James Hedlund believes at least half of them would have survived if they had been wearing their seat belts.
Hedlund is the author of a recent study for the Governor's Highway Association. One of the things he was most surprised to find was that 32 states do not have rear seat belt laws.
"States don't usually publicize rear seat buckling-up, and they may not enforce rear seat laws, the states that have them," said Hedlund.
Massachusetts has secondary seat belt laws, meaning police can ticket drivers and passengers for not wearing their seat belts only in cases where they have committed another citable infraction. The Bay State's seat belt laws apply to the rear seats as well as the front.
Hedlund wants states to do a better job of promoting rear seat belt use. But he also wants people to buckle up not only in their own cars, but also in ride shares and other vehicles.
"People don't think about it when they get into taxis, Ubers, or things like this," said Hedlund. "They need to think 'buckle up' every trip, every time, every seating position."
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Karen Twomey reports