Traffic Safety Facts no. 323 (March 2007)

NHTSA - Behavioral Safety Researchhttps://doi.org/10.21949/15255942007PDFBriefUnited States. Department of Transportation. National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationPreusser Research Group, Inc.United States. Department of Transportation. National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationArkansasColoradoFloridaMissouriManual safety beltsState lawsMedical servicesCostsSavingsSeat belt usageFor front seat occupants of passenger cars, seat belts can reduce the risk of death by 45% and the risk of serious non-fatal injuries by 50%. One method proven to be successful in increasing belt use is enacting primary seat belt laws in States. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, passing a primary law can increase seat belt use rates among non-users by 40%. A primary seat belt law allows a police officer to issue a seat belt citation whenever they observe an unbelted front seat occupant. A secondary law allows police to only issue a seat belt citation if the vehicle has been stopped for another violation. Currently, only 25 States have primary laws. A 2003 study estimated that if all States had primary laws from 1995 to 2002, over 12,000 lives would have been saved. Failure to implement a primary belt law creates a real cost to a State\u2019s budget for Medicaid and other State medical expenditures. NHTSA contracted with Preusser Research Group to examine the minimum estimated savings on direct medical costs paid through Medicaid if primary belt laws were implemented in four States: Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, and Missouri.129