General Facts

(from NHTSA's Traffic Safety Facts: Seat Belt Use in 2009, Traffic Safety Facts 2007 Overview, Seat Belt Use in 2007, Occupant Protection 2007, and the 2007 Motor Vehicle Occupant Safety Survey)

• The nationwide seat belt use in 2009 was 84 percent, ranging from 67.6 percent in Wyoming to 98.0 percent in Michigan.
• Of the 41,059 traffic fatalities in 2007, 54 percent of those killed were known not to be wearing seat belts.
• An average of 112 people died each day in motor vehicle crashes in 2007—one every 13 minutes.
• 67 percent of the pickup truck drivers killed in traffic crashes were not using seat belts.
• Of those killed in car crashes in 2007, two age groups showed the highest non-use of seat belts, 65 percent: 13- to 15-year-olds and 21- to 34-year-olds.
• People use seat belts more when state laws are stronger: states in which motorists can be stopped solely for not wearing a seat belt had a usage rate of 88 percent in 2009, compared to 77 percent in other states.
• Motorists in pickup trucks buckle up only 72 percent of the time.
• If you live in the West, you're safer than if you live in the Northeast: 93 percent usage vs. 82 percent.
• When surveyed, 92 percent of females report wearing their seat belts “all of the time” whereas 85 percent of males do so.
• Blacks (84 percent) are similar to Whites (87 percent) in using their seat belts “all of the time.” Hispanics (93 percent) reported the highest usage rate.
• Seat belts, when used, reduce the risk of fatal injury to front-seat passenger car occupants by 45 percent.
• NHTSA estimates that 15,147 lives were saved by seat belts in 2007. If everyone killed had been wearing seat belts, an additional 5,024 lives could have been saved.
  

Rear Seat Belts

(from NHTSA's Seat Belt Use in Rear Seat in 2008)

• Front seat belt use was higher in 2008 at 83 percent than rear seat belt use at 74 percent.
• Thanks to laws passed in multiple states, rear seat belt use has improved from only 47 percent in 2004.
• Rear seat belt use is especially problematic for individuals aged 70 and older; only 52 percent buckle up.
  
• In 2005, more than 15,000 people died in traffic crashes during evening hours and a whopping two-thirds were not wearing seat belts. Evening seat belt use decreases about 10 percent from daytime use.
• The percentage of people unbuckled who were hurt or killed in vehicle accidents costs the U.S. $18 billion a year in medical, insurance, and overhead costs.
• In 2006, New Hampshire had the lowest seat belt use at 63.5 percent.
• Washington had the highest amount of individuals clicking their seat belts--96.3 percent!
• Besides Washington, 10 other states achieved seat belt usage of 90 percent or higher--Michigan, Oregon, California, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Nevada, Maryland, Texas, Georgia, and New Jersey.

Child Passenger Safety

(from NHTSA's Children Injured in Motor Vehicle Crashes)

• A study of crashes between 1999 and 2008 found that children in roll-over crashes had the highest injury rates.Those who were not restrained in safety seats were 3 times more likely to sustain an incapacitating injury.
• In near-side impacts, children in this study were 8 times more likely to sustain incapacitating injuries if they were not in child safety seats.
• Head injuries were the most common injuries to these children, especially those younger than 1 year.