Fastening Seat Belts: The 3 Seconds That Save Lives

More than a half century of safety advances, public-relations campaigns, legislation, and advertising pitches by the Department of Transportation and the world’s automakers have persuaded 88.5 percent of Americans to fasten their seat belts when they get into their cars.

But that also means 11.5 percent of vehicle drivers and passengers still don’t buckle up. That translates to almost 25 million people who ignore the public-service ads, the reminder chimes in their vehicles, the 49 state laws that make seat belt use mandatory, and the nagging from loved ones who do click into their seat belts.

At this point in the history of the seat belt, the research behind its effectiveness is so conclusive and well-socialized that few abstainers can claim ignorance, forgetfulness, or confusion. To regulators and safety advocates, the remainder of stubborn people who refuse to buckle up represents an incredibly high number of unnecessary vehicle fatalities.

The societal consequences extend beyond the tragedies themselves. The added risk from unbelted motorists raises car-insurance rates and healthcare costs for everyone. And automakers have made numerous design compromises to their vehicles to account for unbelted occupants, resulting in cars that are less safe for the rest of us.

Seat belts have been standard equipment in passenger cars since 1968. Usage was low at first, but in the 1980s states began to set mandatory seat belt laws. The DOT then pushed out a large-scale public-education campaign, which turned crash-test dummies into cultural icons. (Scroll down to see a history of seat belts.)

The results were significant. After New York State passed the first seat belt law in 1984, observed belt use rose from 14 percent to 37 percent within two years. By the end of the 1990s, it was above 70 percent.

“The ‘Vince and Larry’ ads and high visibility enforcement campaign ‘Click It or Ticket’ have proven tremendously helpful in increasing seat belt use,” says Mark Rosekind, chief of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Rosekind’s agency is America’s official record-keeper when it comes to traffic accidents. According to its data, seat belts represent the single greatest public-safety innovation in automotive history. In the past 50 years, 14 safety innovations have saved 613,501 lives. They include frontal airbags, child safety seats, and side impact protection and curtain airbags. But not one has come close to seat belts, which are responsible for saving 329,715 lives—more than half the total.

Consumer Reports recently posted an online request to hear from seat belt abstainers. A majority of respondents complained of discomfort, especially shorter drivers and women with large breasts.

Others expressed a fierce libertarian streak, seeing seat belt laws as onerous and unjustified. Some were baby boomers who grew up not wearing belts and never got into the habit of using them. Many said they buckled up on highway trips but not when driving around town. We even heard from someone—who said he’s in law enforcement—who refuses to wear a seat belt and doesn’t think anyone else should have to, either.