Oregon Public Broadcasting

The federal Department of Transportation released data on seat belt use Monday.  Last year about 84 percent of Americans wore their seatbelts.

In Oregon, the rate is much higher. Amelia Templeton reports.

Almost 97 percent of drivers and passengers in Oregon wore seatbelts last year, according to government estimates.

Only two states, Michigan and Hawaii, had better records. And Washington was right behind Oregon.

Carla Levinsky is with the Oregon Department of Transportation. She says seatbelt use has increased steadily since Oregon passed a tough law in 1990.

Carla Levinsky: "It's a primary law where police can stop cars because the occupants are not seen wearing a safety belt. Only  27 states have laws that are primary."

And Oregon has one of the highest fines. It’s $142 for not buckling up.

Levinsky says it will be hard to do better than 97 percent.

Crash data from the state suggests that people who don’t buckle up are also the ones who speed and drive under the influence.