According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration North Dakota holds the dubious honor of not only being one of just 14 states who has seen a recent increase in traffic collision related fatalities, but also has seen the largest increase.

The NHTSA data shows that 2011 traffic fatalities in North Dakota rose 41 percent, far more than any other state. In 2010 the state had 105 traffic collision related fatalities. In 2011 the number of traffic related fatalities increased to 148.

There are a few factors which might help explain the increase in traffic collision related deaths in North Dakota. For instance, the state saw a 10 percent increase in the miles driven within the state. According to the North Dakota Department of Transportation there were a few other specific factors which affected the number of people killed in vehicle collisions in 2011.

Specifically, of the people killed in vehicle collisions in the state that year almost 70 percent were not wearing a seat belt. This makes seat belt usage the primary factor. About half of those people killed were involved in vehicle collisions in which one of the two drivers was under the influence of alcohol and nearly a third of those fatal crashes involved excessive speed.

North Dakota is known for its wide open spaces which can sometimes provide the illusion for drivers that they are the only person on the road. However, as the statistics show there are enough drivers on the road that they can (and often do) collide, with disastrous results. It is also important to note that in the vast majority of these-more than half-if the person had merely put on their seat belt their life may have been saved.

It only takes a moment to fasten a seat belt and it makes all the difference in the world when it comes to keeping you safe and secure in the event of a vehicle collision. We hope North Dakotans will recognize the part they play in keeping themselves safe in this regard and start buckling up.

This past January North Dakota became the last state in the union to require a form of graduated driver’s license program for first time drivers. These programs are designed to help new drivers gradually acclimate to life behind the wheel. They often involve limits in when they can drive and who they can drive with; extended driver safety education and practice behind the wheel.

Graduated driver license programs are credited with reducing the number of young drivers involved in deadly crashes. Vehicle collisions remain the number one cause of death for teenagers in the United States, according to the National Institutes of Health and safety advocates say these programs are needed to save teen lives and the lives of those who share the road with them.

These graduated driver licensing programs are now the law of the land, much to the dismay of teen drivers. They do provide a level of security for their parents, however, many of whom worry that their teen driver will be involved in a serious crash, whether through their own fault or because of their inability to react appropriately when faced with a crisis behind the wheel.