Seat Belt Use in 2025 – Overall Results [Traffic Safety Facts]

NHTSA · 2026 · ROSA P / United States. Department of Transportation. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

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Summary

This report presents the overall results of the 2025 National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS), conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The study addresses the national prevalence of seat belt use among adult front-seat passengers in passenger vehicles, aiming to track compliance trends and identify significant regional or demographic shifts. The NOPUS is the only nationwide probability-based observational survey of its kind in the United States, providing critical data for traffic safety analysis and policy evaluation. The methodology involved trained observers recording seat belt usage at randomly selected roadway sites across the U.S. from June 2 to June 22, 2025, during daylight hours (7 a.m. to 6 p.m.). Observers did not interact with drivers or passengers, ensuring the capture of natural behavior. The survey utilized a complex, multistage probability sample, observing 143,212 occupants in 120,206 vehicles. Data collection occurred immediately following the "Click It or Ticket" enforcement campaign. Statistical analysis included Wilson confidence intervals and significance testing to compare 2025 results with 2024 data. The national seat belt use rate for adult front-seat passengers in 2025 was 91.3%, a statistically insignificant increase from 91.2% in 2024. While the national trend remained stable, three regions showed significant changes: use increased in the Northeast (93.2%) and the West (96.2%), but decreased significantly in the Midwest (88.1%). Seat belt use remained consistently higher in states with primary enforcement laws (91.9%) compared to those with secondary or no laws (88.7%). Use rates varied by vehicle type, with vans and SUVs showing the highest compliance (93.3%) and pickup trucks the lowest (85.6%). No significant differences were observed between urban and rural areas, weekdays and weekends, or various traffic conditions. The findings indicate that while national seat belt use has plateaued near 91%, regional disparities persist, particularly with the decline in the Midwest. The continued gap between primary and secondary law states underscores the effectiveness of stricter enforcement policies. These results provide a baseline for evaluating the impact of enforcement campaigns and legislative changes, highlighting areas where targeted interventions may be necessary to further reduce occupant fatalities.

Key finding

The national seat belt use rate for adult front-seat passengers in 2025 was 91.3 percent, showing no statistically significant change from 2024, though significant regional differences and continued disparities based on enforcement law types were observed.

Methodology

field_study

Sample size: 143212

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

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• seat belt use
• child passenger safety

Information type

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• Empirical Findings: observational prevalence