Effects of seatbelt laws on highway fatalities

Project memorandumPDFTech ReportDOT-TSC-HS070-PM-89-28FatalitiesFederal lawsJohn A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.)Skinner, DavidBorener, S.John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.)NTL-SAFETY AND SECURITY-SAFETY AND SECURITYNTL-SAFETY AND SECURITY-Human FactorsVolpe National Transportation Systems Center, Technical Reference CenterBTS Data DirectoryThe statistical models used in this update indicate that stateswhich have a seatbelt law have experienced on average a 7.7percent reduction in frontseat occupant fatalities in vehiclesgenerally covered by laws. That is, on average in any lawstate, these fatalities are 7.7 percent less than would havebeen expected in the absence of a law. This result is basedon historical relationships of almost 14 years (January 1975through December 1988) contained in the Fatal AccidentReporting System(FARS) database.Removing any comparison with non-seatbelt law states doesnot change the result appreciably. It is recognized that someof the savings of lives may be attributable to greateracceptance of seatbelts in the driving population and notjust the effects of the law