STATE'S TOPS IN SEAT-BELT USAGE.Byline: Alex Roth Daily News Staff Writer California leads the nation in seat-belt use, with nearly nine of 10 drivers wearing them, and traffic fatalities dropped sharply statewide and in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County in 1997, officials said Thursday. Alcohol-related fatalities also decreased on California roads, reflecting a nationwide trend that saw fewer drunk-driving deaths in 1997 than at any time since federal officials started keeping statistics in 1975, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. a U.S. Department of Transportation study released Thursday. In Los Angeles County, the number of alcohol-related driving deaths in 1997 was slightly higher than in 1996, but nearly a third lower than five years ago, state statistics show. Most significantly, the state and national decreases occurred even though the population has grown and more motorists are on the road. Strict seat-belt laws, particularly in California, and greater awareness of the dangers of driving drunk are credited for keeping more people alive. ``The other big thing is the emphasis on drunk-driving prevention and enforcement,'' said California Highway Patrol highway patrol n. A state law enforcement organization whose police officers patrol the public highways. spokeswoman Anne Richards. ``Designated-driver programs, sober-graduation programs, increased enforcement - all these things "These Things" is an EP by She Wants Revenge, released in 2005 by Perfect Kiss, a subsidiary of Geffen Records. Music Video The music video stars Shirley Manson, lead singer of the band Garbage. Track Listing 1. "These Things [Radio Edit]" - 3:17 2. have had an impact.'' Federal and state officials said they saw a steady decline in alcohol-related roadway deaths until 1995, when the number suddenly jumped. The increase caught everyone by surprise - and resulted in more aggressive public relations public relations, activities and policies used to create public interest in a person, idea, product, institution, or business establishment. By its nature, public relations is devoted to serving particular interests by presenting them to the public in the most campaigning across the country, according to Philip Recht, an administrator with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA, often pronounced "nit-suh") is an agency of the Executive Branch of the U.S. Government, part of the Department of Transportation. in Washington, D.C. ``It was quite alarming to a lot of people,'' he said. ``It caused all of us who work in the field to redouble re·dou·ble v. re·dou·bled, re·dou·bling, re·dou·bles v.tr. 1. To double. 2. To repeat. 3. Games To double the doubling bid of (an opponent) in bridge. v. our efforts and we're back on track.'' Last year, 87 percent of California's drivers wore their seat belts, a higher percentage than any other state, according to Tim Hurd, a spokesman for the safety administration, which compiled the report released Thursday. Among the states trailing close behind, Hurd said, were New Mexico New Mexico, state in the SW United States. At its northwestern corner are the so-called Four Corners, where Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah meet at right angles; New Mexico is also bordered by Oklahoma (NE), Texas (E, S), and Mexico (S). at 85 percent; Washington state, 84 percent; and North Carolina North Carolina, state in the SE United States. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean (E), South Carolina and Georgia (S), Tennessee (W), and Virginia (N). Facts and Figures Area, 52,586 sq mi (136,198 sq km). Pop. , 82 percent. The states with the worst percentages included North Dakota North Dakota, state in the N central United States. It is bordered by Minnesota, across the Red River of the North (E), South Dakota (S), Montana (W), and the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba (N). at 43 percent; Mississippi, 46 percent; and South Dakota, 47 percent. A key to enforcing seat-belt safety is a 1993 law allowing police to pull over a motorist whom they suspect isn't wearing a seat belt. Before then, police were not allowed to stop a motorist for such an infraction Violation or infringement; breach of a statute, contract, or obligation. The term infraction is frequently used in reference to the violation of a particular statute for which the penalty is minor, such as a parking infraction. INFRACTION. , but could issue a seat-belt citation after stopping the driver for another offense. After California adopted its latest seat-belt law in 1993, the percentage of drivers wearing seat belts jumped from 71 percent to 83 percent in one year, according to CHP CHP Chapter CHP Combined Heat and Power CHP California Highway Patrol CHP Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi (Turkish: Republican People's Party) CHP Chemical Hygiene Plan (OSHA) CHP Community Health Plan statistics. In 1987, the year California's first seat-belt law took effect, 49 percent of state drivers buckled up. In all, 10 other states have seat-belt laws as strict as California's, according to Chris Murphy of the California Office of Traffic Safety. The stricter seat-belt laws and drunk-driving campaigns have contributed to a steady nationwide decline in the number of roadway deaths the past several years, officials said Thursday. ``There is a heightened awareness of traffic safety,'' Murphy said. In all, 42,000 people died on national roadways in 1997, according to federal statistics. Of those, 3,660 died in California and 764 in Los Angeles County, CHP statistics show. The number of alcohol-related roadway deaths in 1997 was 16,520 nationwide, 1,093 statewide and 227 in Los Angeles County. Both nationally and in California, the number of alcohol-related roadway deaths dropped from 1996. The number was down 3.5 percent nationally and 13 percent statewide, while the total number of deaths dropped 8 percent statewide while remaining essentially the same nationwide. Although Los Angeles County saw an increase of 12 alcohol-related fatalities in 1997, the total number of such deaths - 227 - is a 31 percent drop over the 329 people killed in the county in 1993, according to CHP statistics. CAPTION(S): chart Chart: (ran in final edition only) DUI deaths plummet |
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