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Indicator Report - Seat Belts: Safety Restraint UseWhy Is This Important?Motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) are one of the leading causes of injury death and hospitalization in Utah. Seat belts are the single most effective safety device for preventing serious injuries and reducing fatalities in MVCs, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).NHTSA has found that deaths and serious injuries caused by MVCs could be reduced by approximately 50% with proper and consistent use of safety belts. NHTSA also found that if all 50 states achieved 90% seat belt usage, it would result in an overall total cost savings of $5.5 billion (1). In Utah, unbelted crash occupants were 32 times more likely to die in a crash than crash occupants wearing seat belts. Ejection from the vehicle is one of the most injurious events that can happen to a person in a crash. Seat belts are effective in preventing total ejections. Likelihood of Injury and Death: Risks for Belted and Unbelted Occupants in a Motor Vehicle Crash, Utah, 2009  Data NotesOver 96% of persons who survived a crash reported being restrained. In contrast, less than half (47.4%) of the persons killed in a crash were restrained. Unrestrained crash occupants were 32 more times likely to be killed than restrained crash occupants. Data come from the 2009 Utah Crash Summary, State of Utah Department of Public Safety.Data SourcesUtah Crash Summary, Department of Public Safety, Highway Safety Office.Other Views
DefinitionPercentage of drivers and front seat passengers observed using safety restraints in Utah as part of the National Occupant Protection Use Survey conducted by the Utah Highway Safety Office. The survey uses data collected by UHP troopers at intersections, highway ramps, and parking lots.How We Calculated the Rates
Page Content Updated On 10/21/2011,
Published on 04/05/2012
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