Occupant protection refers to safety features, like seat belts, designed to protect occupants of motor vehicles in the event of a crash.
Occupant Protection
Why It Matters:
Wearing a seat belt is crucial to surviving a crash. Air bags are not enough to protect you—in fact, the force of an air bag can seriously injure or even kill you if you’re not buckled up properly. Seat belts save lives.
51%
of passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2020 in the U.S. were unrestrained
SOURCE for distracted driving statistic from the N.H.T.S.A.
What Can You Do?
Always buckle up!
- Improperly wearing a seat belt, such as putting the strap below your arm, puts adults and children at serious risk in the event of a crash.
- Fit matters. When you get into a vehicle, check to see that its seat belts are a good fit for you.
- Find out more about when a child is ready to use an adult seat belt and learn about seat belt safety during pregnancy.
October 31, 2022