Troopers: Washington Tops Seat Belt Use in Nation

A federal survey suggests that Washington state has the highest use of seat belts among drivers in the country.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ranked Washington at 97.5 percent seat belt usage in 2011. The lowest was Massachusetts at 73.2 percent of usage. The national average was 84 percent.

The state Patrol says it’s the seventh year in a row Washington has score 95 percent or higher.