Adult Seat Belt Use in the US
What Can Be Done
States can:
- Pass a primary enforcement seat belt law.
- Make sure that seat belt laws apply to everyone in the car, not just those in the front seat.
- Ensure that fines for not wearing a seat belt are high enough to be effective.
- Make sure that police and state troopers enforce all seat belt laws.
- Support seat belt laws with visible police presence and awareness campaigns for the public.
- Educate the public to make seat belt use a social norm.
Employers can:
- Post information in break rooms and parking lots that encourages employees to buckle up.
- Identify the cost of car crashes to their workforce in terms of medical care and lost wages.
- Require seat belt use in company vehicles at all times, and in personal vehicles while on company business.
- Develop active enforcement programs for staff about seat belt use when driving company vehicles.
Everyone can:
- Use a seat belt on every trip, no matter how short.
- Encourage all passengers in the car to buckle up, including those in the back seat.
Parent and caregivers can:
- Use a seat belt on every trip, no matter how short. This sets a good example.
- Make sure children are properly buckled up in a seat belt, booster seat, or car seat, whichever is appropriate.*
- Have all children age 12 and under sit in the back seat.
- Never seat a child in front of an air bag.
- Place children in the middle of the back seat when possible, because it is the safest spot in the vehicle.
Health professionals can:
- Encourage patients to make wearing a seat belt a habit.
- Wear seat belts themselves and encourage their colleagues to do the same.
- Remind patients about the importance of seat belt use.
*Motor vehicle crashes are also a leading cause of death among children. To learn more about which type of safety seat is best for your child’s age and size, visit www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety.
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