Nation IN BRIEF : GEORGIA : Study Cites Value of Seat Belts, Helmets

Three out of every five people killed in motor vehicle accidents would have survived if they had been wearing seat belts, but a third of motorists still do not use them, a U.S. transportation official said in Atlanta. Motorcycle helmets also prevented brain injuries two out of three times, said a study that tracked 879,670 drivers and 10,353 riders in seven states. “The hospital cost for someone who is unbelted is $5,000, or 55% higher, than the belted driver,” said Dr. Ricardo Martinez, chief of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Hospitalization costs would have been reduced $68 million if all drivers had been belted.