Truckers Need to Buckle Up

November 2005

Truckers are below average when it comes to buckling up for safety. Only 48% are actually using their seat belts according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. That’s why the American Trucking Association is launching a campaign to urge governors to tighten up seat belt laws.

Twenty-one states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have “primary” seat belt laws, which allow police to ticket drivers for not using their seat belts. Twenty-seven other states have “secondary” laws allowing police to give a violation before actually ticketing the drivers. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), primary-law states averaged 85% seat belt use while secondary-law states averaged 75%.

Each year safety belts prevent 15,700 fatalities and 350,000 serious injuries according to the Transportation Secretary. By passing more “primary” laws, belt use will go up and deaths and injuries will go down.

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