Source: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control — Content from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (public domain).
Key points
* Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death among those aged 1-54 in the United States.
* Seat belt use is the most effective way to save lives and reduce injuries in motor vehicle crashes.
Overview 
Buckling up reduces injuries and saves lives Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death among those aged 1-54 in the United States, and most people who are killed in crashes are passenger vehicle occupants (drivers and passengers). Of the 45,404 people killed in crashes in 2021,1 about 27,242 (or 60%) of these were passenger vehicle occupants.2 Passenger vehicles include cars, sport utility vehicles (SUVs), pickup trucks, and vans. For adults and older children (who are big enough for seat belts to fit properly), seat belt use is the most effective way to save lives and reduce injuries in crashes. Yet millions do not buckle up on every trip. Seat belt use in action Rural & Urban Differences In the United States, living in rural areas is associated with higher crash-related death rates for drivers and passengers, a higher percentage of deaths among those not buckled up at the time of the crash, and lower seat belt use in adults. Read the MMWR Adult Seat Belt Use Seat belt use has become the national norm, but rates of seat belt use vary widely from state to state. State rates of observed seat belt use ranged from 76% to 97% in 2022.3 Read the Report Seat Belt Use in Front and Back Seats Buckle Up – Every Seat, Every Trip. Seat belt use is significantly higher for people riding in the front passenger seat than for people riding in the back seats (92% and 76%, respectively, in 2022 for adults aged 25-69).4 Similarly, beliefs in the importance of seat belt use are higher for the front seat than the rear seat. Read the Report