David Clay of Clarksburg takes the time to buckle up before starting his vehicle.
CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — It’s estimated that about 12 percent of drivers in the state still fail to buckle up when they’re operating a motor vehicle.
Those who do not fasten their seat belts are subject to citations from police, said Lisa Hall, the Region 5 coordinator for the Governor’s Highway Safety Program. She said most local law enforcement agencies work with the Click-It-or-Ticket program to ensure that drivers and passengers are buckled up. The regional office encompasses Monongalia, Marion, Harrison, Lewis, Preston, Taylor and Barbour counties.
“There are programs for Governor’s Highway Safety that cover the entire state,” Hall said.
Program studies show that West Virginians were buckling up in 2007 and 2008 when the usage rate was its highest at 89 percent, a press release said. However, that rate was on the decline until 2014 when it climbed back up to 87.8 percent, still slightly below those earlier marks.
While most state residents are indeed buckling up, there are still 12.2 percent who remain at risk by not using seat belts…
