Updated 1/23/20

The Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) announced this week a significant increase in the state’s overall seat belt usage rate compared to previous years.

The usage rate rose from 90.9 percent in 2018 to 91.75 percent in 2019. This marks the second year Tennessee’s usage rate surpassed 90 percent.

Tennessee’s 2019 usage rate also exceeded the national usage rate of 90.7 percent.

This data was collected through an annual roadside

observational survey conducted by the University of Tennessee Knoxville’s Center for Transportation Research.