Table 2-30: Safety Belt and Motorcycle Helmet Use (percent)a
| 1994 | 1996 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OVERALL Safety Belt Use | 58 | 61 | 69 | 67 | 71 | 73 | 75 | 79 | 80 | 82 | 81 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 84 |
| Drivers | 59 | 62 | 70 | 67 | 72 | 74 | 76 | 80 | 81 | 83 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 84 |
| Passengers | 55 | 59 | 65 | 64 | 68 | 72 | 73 | 77 | 76 | 78 | 78 | 81 | 81 | 82 | 83 | 82 |
| Passenger carsb | 63 | 65 | 71 | 70 | 74 | 76 | 77 | 81 | 81 | 83 | 82 | 84 | 84 | 86 | 86 | 85 |
| Drivers | 64 | 65 | 72 | 71 | 75 | 77 | 78 | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U |
| Passengers | 59 | 62 | 68 | 66 | 70 | 74 | 74 | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U |
| Light trucksb,c | 50 | 56 | 66 | 62 | 68 | 69 | 73 | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U |
| Drivers | 51 | 58 | 67 | 62 | 69 | 70 | 73 | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U |
| Passengers | 49 | 53 | 61 | 60 | 65 | 69 | 72 | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U |
| Vans and sport utility vehiclesc | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | 83 | 83 | 85 | 84 | 86 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 87 |
| Pickup trucksc | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | 69 | 70 | 73 | 74 | 72 | 74 | 74 | 75 | 74 |
| Motorcycle Helmet Used | 63 | 64 | 67 | U | 71 | U | 58 | U | 58 | 48 | 51 | 58 | 63 | 67 | 54 | U |
| Riders (Operators) | 67 | 66 | 64 | U | 72 | U | 59 | U | 63 | 56 | 57 | 59 | 64 | 69 | 55 | U |
| Passengers | 54 | 58 | 84 | U | 62 | U | 48 | U | 41 | 29 | 33 | 56 | 54 | 55 | 51 | U |
KEY: U = data are unavailable.
a Seat belt use is as of the Fall each year except in 1999 (December), 2001 (June), 2002 (June), 2003 (June), 2004 (June), 2005 (June). Motorcycle helmet use is as of the Fall each year except in 1996 (January), 2002 (June), 2004 (June), and 2005 (June).
b Beginning in 2003, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) no longer computes an overall light truck belt use estimate. Instead, belt use is computed separately for motorists in: (1) vans and sport utility vehicles, and (2) pickup trucks. Additionally, NHTSA no longer reports separate statistics for passengers and drivers, except at the overall level.
c Includes pickup trucks, vans, minivans, and sport utility vehicles.
d In 1994, Riders (Operators) and Passengers were counted as helmeted if wearing any type of helmet. Since then, only those Riders (Operators) and Passengers wearing safety helmets that met U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) standards were counted. Those safety helmets that do not meet DOT standards were treated as if the operator/rider were not wearing a helmet.
NOTE
Occupants of commercial and emergency vehicles are excluded.
SOURCES
Safety belt use:
1994-2002: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Safety Belt and Helmet Use in 2002 -- Overall Results, DOT HS 809 500 (Washington, DC: 2002), table 1, available at http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/809500.PDF as of June 24, 2009.
2003: Ibid., Safety Belt Use in 2003, Traffic Safety Facts, Research Note DOT HS 809 646 (Washington, DC: 2003), available at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/airbags/809646.pdf as of June 24, 2009.
2004: Ibid., Safety Belt use in 2005–Overall Results, Traffic Safety Facts, Research Note DOT HS 809 932 (Washington, DC: 2005), available at http://www.westernite.org/Sections/sbr/articles/Seatbelt-usage.pdf as of June 24, 2009.
2005-06: Ibid., Seat Belt Use in 2006–Overall Results, Traffic Safety Facts, Research Note DOT HS 810 677 (Washington, DC: 2006), available at http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/810677.PDF as of June 24, 2009.
2007: Ibid., Seat Belt Use in 2008–Overall Results, Traffic Safety Facts, Research Note DOT HS 811 036 (Washington, DC: 2008), available at http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811036.PDF as of June 24, 2009.
2008: Ibid., Seat Belt Use in 2009–Overall Results, Traffic Safety Facts, Research Note DOT HS 811 100 (Washington, DC: 2009), available at http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811100.PDF as of July 6, 2010.
2009: Ibid., Seat Belt Use in 2010–Overall Results, Traffic Safety Facts, Research Note DOT HS 811 378 (Washington, DC: 2010), available at http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811378.pdf as of Sept. 2010.
2010-11: Ibid., Seat Belt Use in 2011–Overall Results, Traffic Safety Facts, Research Note DOT HS 811 544 (Washington, DC: 2011), available at http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811544.pdf as of Dec. 2011.DC: 2010), available at http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811378.pdf as of December 2011.
Motorcycle helmet use:
1994-98: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Research Note, Observed Safety Belt Use in 1998 (Washington, DC: September 1999), table 3, available at http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd-30/NCSA/RNotes/1999/98obbelt.html as of January 2003.
2000, 2002: Ibid., Safety Belt and Helmet Use in 2002 -- Overall Results, DOT HS 809 500 (Washington, DC: 2002), table 6, available at http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd-30/NCSA/Rpts/2002/809-500.pdf as of January 2003.
2004: Ibid., Motorcycle Helmet Use in 2005 -- Overall Results, DOT HS 809 937 (Washington, DC: 2005), available at http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd-30/NCSA/RNotes/2005/809-937/images/809937.pdf as of Oct. 16, 2006.
2005-06: Ibid., Motorcycle Helmet Use in 2006 -- Overall Results, DOT HS 810 678 (Washington, DC: 2006), available at http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd-30/NCSA/RNotes/2005/809-937/images/809937.pdf as of June 8, 2007.
2007: Ibid., Motorcycle Helmet Use in 2008–Overall Results, DOT HS 811 044 (Washington, DC: 2008), available at http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811044.PDF as of June 24, 2009.
2008: Ibid., Motorcycle Helmet Use in 2009–Overall Results, DOT HS 811 254 (Washington, DC: 2008), available at http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811254.PDF as of July 6, 2010.
2009-10: Ibid., Motorcycle Helmet Use in 2010–Overall Results, DOT HS 811 419 (Washington, DC: December 2010), available at http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811419.pdf as of December 2011.