Failure to wear a seat belt contributes to more fatalities than any other single traffic safety-related behavior. 63% of people killed in accidents are not wearing seat belts. Wearing a seat belt is still the single most effective thing we can do to save lives and reduce serious accidents causing horrible spinal cord or brain injuries on America’s roadways.
Data suggests that education alone is not doing the job with young people, especially males ages 16 to 25, the age group least likely to buckle up. They simply do not believe they will be injured or killed. Yet they are the nation’s highest-risk drivers. Statistics show they are involved in more drunk driving, more speeding, and more over all crashes. Neither education nor fear of injury or death is strong enough to motivate this tough to reach group.
It takes strong seat belt laws and high visibility enforcement campaigns to get the public to buckle up. Arizona law requires all front seat occupants to have a lap and shoulder belt properly adjusted and fastened while the vehicle is in motion. The driver will be issued a citation for all passengers under the age of 16 sitting in the front seat and not wearing a seat belt properly.
Seat belts save lives! In Arizona, “Click it or Ticket”.