Seat Belt Safety: It

What Do the
Can Save Your Life Statistics Say?
–By Sharyn Hillin

A total of 23,714 drivers and

passengers in passenger vehicles
died in motor vehicle crashes in
2016

What is the issue? More than half (range: 53%-62%)

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death in the first of teens (13-19 years) and adults
three decades of American’s lives. In 2009 alone, crashes killed aged 20-44 years who died in
over 33,000 people and injured another 2.2 million—more than crashes in 2016 were not buckled
70% of these were in passenger vehicles and trucks. More than up at the time of the crash
half of the people killed in car crashes were not restrained at
the time of the crash. Wearing a seat belt is the most effective More than 2.6 million drivers and
way to prevent death and serious injury in a crash. passengers were treated in
emergency department as the
Why should you wear a seat belt? result of being injured in motor
Seat Belts Have Saved an Estimated 255,000 Lives Since 1975
vehicle crashes in 2016

Young adult drivers and

passengers (18-24) have the
highest crash-related non-fatal
injury rates of all adults. (CDC,
2019, Seat Belts: Get the facts)

Buckle Up! It’s the Law! RESOURCES

SEAT BELT AND CHILD RESTRAINT LAWS 
 Drivers and adult front seat passengers must wear seat belts https://www.pinterest.com/cdcgov/s
in the District of Columbia and all states except New afe-driving/
Hampshire.
 In Alabama, seat belt laws are primary. They cover drivers https://www.alea.gov/dps
and front seat passengers age 15 and older.
 Children 8 years of age or under, or 4’8” or under should be https://cartravelcare.com/child-car-
in a child safety seat or booster seat. seat-safety-tips/

What can you do? https://www.salterferguson.com/blo

 Always wear a seatbelt, no matter how big of a hurry you or in g/alabama-car-seat-laws/
or how short the distance is that you plan to travel
 Refuse to drive until the passengers in your car buckle up
 References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2019). Buckle Up: Restraint Use in Alabama. Retrieved from:

https://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/pdf/seatbelts/Restraint_Use_in_AL.pdf

Department of Public Safety (2019). Seat Belt Laws in Alabama. Retrieved from:

https://www.alea.gov/dps