R.I. ranks among best states for highway safety laws

RHODE ISLAND EARNED A GREEN RATING, which is the best, for its highway safety laws, according to Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety. Yellow ratings were given to states with gaps in their highway safety laws, and red ratings were given to states that are
RHODE ISLAND EARNED A GREEN RATING, which is the best, for its highway safety laws, according to Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety. Yellow ratings were given to states with gaps in their highway safety laws, and red ratings were given to states that are "dangerously behind in adoption of key safety laws." / COURTESY ADVOCATES FOR HIGHWAY AND AUTO SAFETY

PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island ranked among the best states for highway safety laws, according to Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, which released its 12th annual report card.
The report card, the “2015 Roadmap of State Highway Safety Laws,” graded all 50 states and the District of Columbia on their performance in adopting 15 basic highway safety laws on adult and child occupant protection, impaired and distracted driving, and teen driving.
Rhode Island earned a green, or best, rating, for having 11 laws, but was faulted for not having an all-rider motorcycle helmet law, nighttime driving provision and age 18 for unrestricted license for teen drivers, and an ignition interlock law (a breath alcohol ignition interlock device is a mechanism similar to a breathalyzer which is linked to a vehicle’s ignition system).

The report stated that there were 11 times as many unhelmeted motorcyclist fatalities in states without all-rider helmet laws as in states with all-rider helmet laws in 2013.

It also said that the latest fatality and injury figures from the federal government show 32,719 people were killed and 2.3 million people were injured in motor vehicle crashes in 2013, a slight decrease from 2012.

Rhode Island had a green rating for its laws regarding seat belts and booster seat use. It also was recognized for having an open container law, and all-driver text messaging restriction.

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It said Rhode Island had 65 traffic fatalities in 2013, and 729 for a 10-year total; it also said the annual economic cost due to motor vehicle crashes was $1.9 billion in the Ocean State.

Also earning a green rating were: Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Illinois, Oregon, Hawaii, Indiana, Washington, California and Louisiana.

The worst states, which received a red rating, for having fewer than seven laws, were: North Dakota, South Dakota, Florida, Wyoming, Nebraska, Montana, Mississippi, Iowa and Arizona.

Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety is an alliance of consumer, health and safety groups and insurance companies and agents with a mission to make America’s roads safer.

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