If every state had optimal belt use laws, an estimated 277 lives would have been saved in 2023, according to IIHS. Seat belt laws vary extensively throughout the 50 states and the District of Columbia. New Hampshire is alone in not requiring belt use in the front seat, it is also one of 16 states that don’t require adult passengers to buckle up in the rear. [Perhaps the State License Plate should say “Live Belt Free and Die” – AutoCrat.]

Laws also vary according to the type of enforcement allowed. Primary enforcement laws allow police to stop a vehicle and issue a citation solely for failure to buckle up. Under secondary enforcement laws, police can only enforce seat belt requirements if they have pulled the driver over for another violation first.

Although most people buckle up, failure to use a seat belt remains a huge factor in road deaths. Among people 13 and older killed in crashes while riding in passenger vehicles in 2023, only 45% were confirmed to be using belts, IIHS noted.

“While state laws aren’t the only factor that influences belt use, use rates are generally lower in states with weaker laws. Studies have consistently shown that requiring belts can sway many holdouts and that laws with primary enforcement are more effective than those that allow only secondary enforcement.