Full Notification

Seat Belts Save


Of the 21,253 passenger vehicle occupant fatalities for which restraint use was known, 52% were unrestrained.

Among passenger vehicle occupants age 5 and older, seat belts saved an estimated 11,949 lives in 2011. If all passenger vehicle occupants age 5 and older had worn seat belts in 2011, an additional 3,384 lives could have been saved. That's more than twice the lives lost on the Titanic.

Not wearing a seat belt may cause a person to be ejected from their vehicle. 77% of passenger vehicle occupants who were ejected from their vehicle were fatally injured.

NHTSA's annual Click it or Ticket Campaign has resulted in over 3 million seat belt citations in the past 5 years. That's a ticket every other second.

Share these myth busting facts with your teen

THE MYTH
Your seat belt can hurt you in a crash.

THE REAL DEAL
In a crash, everything in your car can cause you harm - your seat belt is one of the few things that can actually save you.

THE MYTH
Seat belts can trap you in a fire or underwater.

THE REAL DEAL
Incidents involving fire or water account for ½ of 1 percent of all crashes. But more importantly, you can't escape such dangers unless you're conscious. Wearing a seat belt gives you a much greater chance of being conscious and able-bodied.

THE MYTH
Just being in a pickup truck makes you safer than everyone else.

THE REAL DEAL
For SUV, pickup, and van occupants, seat belts reduce the risk of fatal injury by 60 percent.

THE MYTH
If you're not going far or traveling fast seat belts aren't necessary.

THE REAL DEAL
Seemingly routine trips can be deceptively dangerous. Most fatal crashes happen within 25 miles from home and at speeds of less than 40 mph.

THE MYTH
It's not as essential for guys to wear seat belts; they're much better drivers.

THE REAL DEAL
Young men are most at risk. Among passenger vehicle occupants, men ages 18-34, who were killed in fatal crashes, 66% were not buckled - the highest of any age group.


Wearing a seat belt is one of the easiest and safest things drivers can do. Explain to your teen what can happen if they are not wearing a seat belt during a crash. Also, don't forget to model good behavior and remind teens to buckle up every time they go out, both day and night.