Each year, hundreds of unbelted passengers in the back seat of motor vehicles are killed in crashes, according to a report released by the Governors Highway Safety Association ("GHSA").
The report found that, in 2018 alone, 803 unrestrained rear seat passengers ages eight and up lost their lives and that more than 400 of them might have survived if they had fastened their seat belts.
Riders in taxis and ride-hailing vehicles buckled up in the back less often than in private vehicles. In one public survey, only 57 percent of respondents who traveled mostly in hired vehicles reported always buckling up, the GHSA said.
The GHSA report explored adult rear seat belt use rates, state laws and enforcement, and public education efforts. Dr. James Hedlund of Highway Safety North, a former senior official with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ("NHTSA"), wrote the report. Uber provided funding for its production and design.
The report noted that, even though safety features in newer vehicles have made the front seat safer than the rear seat in a crash, observed rear belt use nationwide continued to lag significantly behind front seat belt use: 76 percent versus 90 percent, respectively.
The report pointed out that 31 states still lacked a primary rear belt use law for adult passengers. Rear belt use was higher in states that required it (69 percent) than in states that did not (60 percent). In the past four years, only Alabama and Mississippi have passed laws requiring adult rear seat passengers to buckle up, although in Alabama unbelted rear seat occupants may be ticketed only if police have another reason to stop the vehicle.
"As millions take to the road this holiday season on family car trips, and as use of ride hailing services continues to surge, more people find themselves in the back seat of passenger vehicles. That means it's even more imperative that we work together to encourage all motor vehicle passengers to take their safety seriously, no matter the seating position," said the GHSA's executive director, Jonathan Adkins.
The report recommended that:
- States should pass and enforce strong laws and publicize the benefits of belt use in all seating positions;
- For-hire vehicle services should actively promote belt use to their passengers;
- Vehicle manufacturers should install rear seat belt use reminders; and
- The NHTSA should develop programs and finalize federal rulemaking to require rear belt reminders.
Dr. Hedlund noted that, "Collectively, these actions would go a long way toward increasing rear seat belt use to be more on par with front seat belt use. While the steps are straightforward, they will require persistence and commitment."
Victoria Spears
Victoria Prussen Spears is senior vice president of Meyerowitz Communications Inc., a law firm marketing communications consulting company. A graduate of Sarah Lawrence College and Brooklyn Law School, Ms. Spears was an attorney at a leading New York City law firm before joining Meyerowitz Communications. She may be contacted at [email protected].