Seat Belt Use At All-Time High In Florida

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MIAMI (CBSMiami/NSF) - The next time you get in the car, truck or SUV and buckle up, give yourself a pat on the back.

Seat belt use is at an all time high in the state.

The state's Department of Transportation says seat-belt use is up to nearly 90 percent. Of 31,055 drivers and 7,426 front-seat passengers observed in June, 89.6 percent were using the safety devices, the agency reported.

Seat-belt usage numbers have gone up since 2009 when a law went into effect that allows police to pull over and ticket drivers and passengers for not wearing them.

When the law took effect, compliance was estimated at 85.2 percent. A year ago, the mark stood at 89.4 percent. In 2000, seat-belt use was estimated at 60.1 percent. The latest projection is based on observations of motorists taken at 165 sites in 15 counties.

The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.