‘Click it’ success nets $5 million for W.Va.

May 1, 2008 | National News

In 1993, West Virginia became one of the last states to mandate wearing seat belts. Drivers still can't be stopped just for not wearing their seat belts. Despite that, more drivers buckle up in West Virginia than in just about any other state, federal officials said Wednesday.

The designation gives West Virginia a $5 million federal grant, which the state plans to use to help pay for laptop computers in police cars.

West Virginia had to have at least an 85 percent seat-belt usage for two consecutive years to qualify for the U.S. Department of Transportation grant. The state achieved an 88.5 percent rating in 2006 and 89.5 percent in 2007.