S E A T B E L T S
S A V E L I V E S
Section III
The Effect of a Standard Seat Belt Use Law
Standard seat belt use laws, coupled with highly visible enforcement and public education, result in:• Higher use rates
• Lower fatalities and injuries to adults and children
• Economic savings
Higher Use Rates
Seat belt use rates are higher in states with standard seat belt use laws. The average seat belt use rate in states with standard enforcement laws is 17 percentage points higher than in states with secondary enforcement laws. With only a few exceptions, the states with standard seat belt use laws have the highest seat belt use rates (see chart at right).
A recent study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that in states with standard enforcement, belt use is 25 percent higher among African-American males than in states with secondary use laws.
Higher seat belt use rates help reduce the risk of air bag-related injury. Seat belts and air bags together are very effective at reducing injury in moderate to severe crashes. However, riding unrestrained and coming into close proximity of the air bag just prior to a crash can be dangerous, especially for children. Most of those who have been killed by a deploying air bag were either unbelted or improperly restrained. Well enforced, standard seat belt use laws will mean that more people will be buckled up and in position to receive the full safety benefit of both the seat belt and the air bag.
Adult belt use also affects the belt use of children. Observations conducted in 1996 showed that if a driver is wearing a seat belt, 86 percent of the time toddlers will also be restrained. If the driver is not wearing a seat belt, however, only 24 percent of the time will toddlers be restrained.
Seat Belt Use Rates in Standard and Secondary Enforcement States
Lower Fatalities and Injuries
Studies consistently have shown that standard seat belt use laws save lives and reduce injuries.
Research from one study, conducted by Harvard University, compared 11 secondary enforcement seat belt law states with a group of five standard law states during the first full year after enactment of their laws. This study found that:
For occupants over 21 years of age, fatality rates declined 20 percent in standard seat belt law states versus an 8 percent decline in secondary law states.
Among younger occupants, fatality rates for the standard seat belt law states declined 23 percent versus 3 percent in secondary law states.
In 1993, North Carolina began a statewide effort to increase seat belt use through strong enforcement of its standard seat belt law and extensive publicity, the Click It or Ticket campaign. As belt use rose to 80% and higher, fatal and serious traffic injuries in the state declined dramatically (see chart below).
North Carolina Results:Increased Safety Belt Use Drives Fatal and Serious Injury Down Dramatically
Source: North Carolina, University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center
Note: Operation Buckle-Down started in 1991.
Economic Savings
The following chart illustrates the potential for lives saved, injuries prevented and dollars saved by upgrading the current secondary enforcement laws to standard enforcement. These are annual estimates in 1997 dollars and are based on an estimated 15 percentage point increase in seat belt use. The potential increases in states with usage rates of 71 percent or greater are "capped" at 85 percent.
State Deaths Prevented Savings from Deaths Prevented Injuries Prevented Savings From Injuries Prevented Total Savings Alabama 99 $73,094,145 1300 $35,055,356 $108,149,501 Alaska 7 $6,647,284 86 $3,316,981 $9,964,286 Arizona 70 $54,110,839 1457 $42,556,191 $96,667,030 Arkansas 50 $34,446,707 1051 $26,465,081 $60,911,788 Colorado 51 $47,151,250 1138 $39,137,083 $86,288,332 Delaware 9 $7,923,039 164 $5,702,998 $13,626,036 Florida 207 $184,061,832 4906 $163,433,287 $347,495,119 Idaho 22 $16,463,244 326 $9,048,737 $25,511,980 Illinois 124 $120,596,775 3894 $140,163,891 $260,760,667 Kansas 45 $38,391,856 995 $31,239,743 $69,631,599 Kentucky 73 $53,194,671 1428 $38,506,870 $91,701,541 Maine 14 $11,330,233 344 $10,082,076 $21,412,309 Massachusetts 27 $27,788,589 1557 $58,118,613 $85,907,202 Michigan 149 $133,324,905 3588 $123,496,414 $256,821,320 Minnesota 54 $49,503,658 1174 $40,147,314 $89,650,973 Mississippi 65 $41,632,633 907 $20,789,235 $62,421,868 Missouri 113 $94,520,336 2407 $76,382,949 $170,903,284 Montana 20 $14,497,748 225 $6,698,042 $21,195,790 Nebraska 30 $25,006,211 749 $24,177,562 $49,183,773 Nevada 33 $32,302,520 666 $25,808,285 $58,110,806 New Hampshire 9 $8,868,192 234 $8,059,966 $16,928,158 New Jersey 60 $68,503,201 3041 $127,175,074 $195,678,276 North Dakota 7 $5,193,556 132 $3,598,896 $8,792,452 Ohio 126 $107,336,899 4948 $155,091,334 $262,428,233 Pennsylvania 134 $122,163,931 3111 $108,308,900 $230,472,830 Rhode Island 5 $4,200,174 187 $6,091,039 $10,291,213 South Carolina 78 $56,595,318 1328 $35,739,018 $92,334,337 South Dakota 16 $12,177,601 230 $6,529,243 $18,706,844 Tennessee 120 $95,320,856 2181 $65,322,761 $160,643,616 Utah 27 $19,008,432 626 $16,759,200 $35,767,632 Vermont 8 $6,915,677 99 $3,099,303 $10,014,980 Virginia 85 $78,583,710 2019 $71,709,645 $150,293,355 Washington 17 $16,014,446 456 $17,393,954 $33,408,400 West Virginia 30 $20,875,794 573 573 $15,093,813 $35,969,607 Wisconsin 70 $59,313,311 1754 $55,404,881 $114,718,192 Wyoming 11 $9,175,916 122 $4,112,289 $13,288,205 Total 2064 $1,756,235,489 49402 $1,619,816,023 $3,376,051,513
