SEAT BELT USE
Young drivers are more likely to crash than older drivers. Studies have found that teens are also less likely than adults to wear seat belts, increasing their chance of being injured or killed in a crash.

U.S. Facts In 2001, 60% of 16-20 year olds killed in crashes were not wearing seat belts. (NHTSA, 2002b, chap. 4, p. 119) Drivers are less likely to use seat belts when they have been drinking. In 2001, 70% of young drivers involved in fatal crashes who had been drinking were not wearing safety belts. 79% who had been drinking and were killed were unrestrained. (NHTSA, 2001, p. 4) Wearing a proper occupant restraint has been shown to cut the risk of a driver or passenger dying in a crash almost in half. (NHTSA, 2002a, p. 49) Not wearing your seat belt dramatically increases your chance of being ejected from a car. People involved in crashes are 4 times more likely to die if they are thrown from the car and 14 times more likely to receive spinal injuries than if they remain inside the vehicle. (NHTSA, n.d.) A national study of 11th and 12th grade high school students found that: 14% had rarely or never worn seat belts when riding in a car driven by someone else Males (18%) were significantly more likely than females (10%) to have rarely or never worn seat belts. (Grunbaum et al., 2001) In a 2002 study, Teen passengers had lower belt use in vehicles driven by other teens (42% for males and 52% for females) then in those driven by adults (50% for males and 56% for females). Teen drivers (54% of males and 70% of females) were more likely than teen passengers (see above) to wear their safety belts. Teen passengers were much more likely to buckle up when the driver . (adult or teen) was wearing a seat belt. (Williams, A.F., McCartt, A.T., & Geary, L., 2003). Seat belt use among fatally injured teen drivers declines with increasing number of passengers. Belt use increases when the passenger is 30 years of age or older. (McCartt, A.T. & Shabanova, V.I., 2002, p. 10).

Maryland Facts Maryland's adult seat belt law requires drivers and front seat passengers to be restrained by seat belts. Maryland has a primary seat belt enforcement law, which means that a vehicle may be stopped and citations can be issued to both the driver and adult passenger ($25 each) for not wearing a safety belt. (Maryland SHA, 2003) A 2002 survey of Maryland 12th grade students showed that: Most students always wear their seat belts as drivers (84.9%), but fewer wear them as passengers (71.7%). Since 1998, there has been an increase in the percentage of 12th graders who always wear their seatbelts as drivers (73% in 1998 vs. 84.9% in 2002) and passengers (66% in 1998 vs. 71.7% in 2002). (MAS, 2003, chap.8, p. 73) In 2001, only 36% of young drivers involved in crashes were wearing their safety belts (NSC, 2001, chap. 4, p.2).