IIHS launched a first-of-its-kind seat belt law calculator on March 3, 2026, revealing that stronger state laws could save 277 lives annually. Only 45% of passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in 2023 were confirmed to be wearing a seat belt — and in most states, getting caught without one can raise your insurance premium.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has a blunt message for state lawmakers: seat belts are saving lives, but weak laws are letting too many people skip them — and the death toll proves it.
IIHS launched a new seat belt law calculator on March 3, 2026, showing exactly how many lives each state could save by strengthening its belt laws. The numbers are hard to ignore: if all 51 jurisdictions adopted optimal seat belt laws, an estimated 277 lives would have been saved in 2023 alone.
- IIHS launched a seat belt law calculator on March 3, 2026, showing state-by-state safety impact
- Only 45% of passenger vehicle occupant fatalities (age 13+) in 2023 were confirmed wearing a belt
- 277 lives could have been saved in 2023 if every state had optimal belt laws
- New Hampshire is the only state with no adult front-seat belt requirement
- A seat belt ticket can raise your insurance premium — and stay on your record for up to 3 years
What the IIHS Data Shows
Seat belt laws across America are all over the map. Currently, 34 states and the District of Columbia allow police to pull you over solely for not wearing a seat belt — what's called primary enforcement. The other 15 states only permit officers to cite you for a belt violation if you've already been stopped for something else (secondary enforcement). Then there's New Hampshire, which stands alone as the only state with no adult front-seat belt requirement at all.
The gap between strong and weak laws is measurable in lives. Among passenger vehicle occupants age 13 and older who died in crashes in 2023, only 45% were confirmed to be buckled up. That means more than half of the people who died in crashes weren't wearing their seat belts.
"This calculator will help advocates and policymakers understand the safety benefits a state can reap with simple legislative changes," said Chuck Farmer, IIHS vice president for research. "For the 22 jurisdictions that already have the strongest provisions in place, it shows the cost of any potential backsliding."
States With the Most to Gain
New Hampshire leads the list of states that could make the biggest safety improvements. If it enacted a belt law covering all seating positions with primary enforcement, it could cut passenger vehicle occupant deaths (age 13+) by 8.9%. It's a striking figure for a state that has no adult belt requirement at all.
Nebraska is another standout. Currently, it requires front-seat belt use but only allows secondary enforcement and has no rear-seat requirement for adults. If it added both a rear-seat requirement and primary enforcement, it could see a 6.6% drop in passenger fatalities. Montana, which already requires belts for all occupants but only allows secondary enforcement, could see a 6.4% reduction just by switching to primary enforcement.
Even states with fairly strong laws have room to improve. Georgia has primary enforcement for front-seat occupants but no rear-seat requirement for adults. Adding that law with primary enforcement would cut overall occupant deaths by 0.7% — and rear-seat fatalities specifically by 12%.
How Seat Belt Habits Affect Your Insurance Rate
Beyond the life-and-death stakes, there's a direct financial cost to skipping your seat belt. In most states, a seat belt ticket goes on your driving record — and insurers can factor it into your premium at renewal.
The impact isn't enormous on a per-ticket basis. A single seat belt citation typically won't raise your rates by more than 3%, according to data from The Zebra. But on a $2,000/year full coverage policy, that's $60 more annually — and the violation can stay on your record for up to three years, meaning you could pay that surcharge for 36 months.
It depends. In states with primary enforcement, belt citations are more commonly classified as moving violations and reported to insurers. In secondary-enforcement states, tickets may be treated as non-moving violations and not shared with your carrier. If you're unsure, check your state's DMV rules — or ask your insurance agent what violations they review at renewal.
Multiple violations compound the problem. If you rack up a seat belt ticket alongside a speeding citation or distracted driving charge, insurers may view the combination as a pattern of risky behavior and rate you accordingly. For drivers already paying elevated premiums due to prior violations, even a minor citation can push rates higher.
Technology Is Helping, But Laws Alone Aren't Enough
IIHS notes that stronger laws are only part of the solution. Vehicle technology plays a growing role. The organization began rating belt reminder systems in 2022, and manufacturers have responded quickly. About 71% of 2025 model vehicles earned a "Good" rating for their belt reminders, compared to just 16% of 2022 models.
These systems go well beyond the brief 4- to 8-second reminders required under federal regulations. More persistent visual and audible alerts have been shown to meaningfully change driver behavior — even for habitual non-bucklers.
The catch: it will take many years before those better-equipped vehicles represent a majority of cars on the road. The average age of vehicles on US roads is over 12 years, meaning older cars with weak reminders dominate the fleet today. That's why IIHS argues that legislative action — not just technology — remains essential for near-term safety gains.
"For the 22 jurisdictions that already have the strongest provisions in place, it shows the cost of any potential backsliding." — Chuck Farmer, IIHS Vice President for Research
What You Should Do Now
Buckle up in the back seat, every time
Rear-seat belt use lags significantly behind front-seat use. In 16 states, there's no law requiring it for adults — but the physics of a crash don't care about the law. An unbelted rear passenger can be ejected or become a projectile that injures others.
Know your state's enforcement rules
Check whether your state uses primary or secondary enforcement. In primary enforcement states, a police officer can pull you over solely for not wearing a belt — and that ticket will likely appear on your driving record and be reported to your insurer.
Check whether a belt ticket will hit your premium
Ask your insurer or check your state DMV's rules on how seat belt citations are classified. If your policy is up for renewal, request a copy of your motor vehicle report (MVR) to see what violations are listed and how they may affect your rate.
Shop your insurance if a ticket raised your rate
If a recent violation bumped your premium, compare quotes from at least three carriers. Different insurers weight violations differently — you may find a meaningfully lower rate elsewhere, especially if your overall driving record is clean.
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on your state and insurer. In states where seat belt violations are classified as moving violations, you can typically expect a rate increase of up to 3% — roughly $40-$100/year on an average policy. In states that treat belt tickets as non-moving violations, many insurers won't raise your rates at all. The violation can remain on your record for up to three years.
New Hampshire is the only state with no adult front-seat belt requirement. Secondary enforcement states — where police cannot pull you over solely for not wearing a belt — include Arizona, Colorado, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, and Wyoming. These states tend to have lower belt use rates as a result.
According to IIHS, if all US states adopted optimal seat belt laws covering all seating positions with primary enforcement, approximately 277 lives would have been saved in 2023. For individual states, the projected gains range from less than 1% in states already with strong laws to 8.9% in New Hampshire, where no adult law currently exists.
In 34 states and DC, yes — laws require rear-seat belt use for adult passengers. But in 16 states, adults in the back seat are not legally required to buckle up. Regardless of the law in your state, IIHS data strongly recommends all occupants wear a belt in every seating position. Unbelted rear passengers are significantly more likely to be ejected or killed in a crash.
The IIHS seat belt law calculator is free and publicly available at iihs.org/research-areas/seat-belts/seat-belt-law-calculator. Select your state, adjust the law options, and it shows projected changes in belt use rates and occupant fatalities based on IIHS statistical models.
- IIHS — IIHS Calculator Shows How Better Seat Belt Laws Can Boost Safety in Each State (March 3, 2026)
- IIHS — Seat Belt Law Calculator
- IIHS — Seat Belts Research Area
- The Zebra — How 16 Common Traffic Tickets Raise the Price You Pay for Car Insurance
- Governors Highway Safety Association — Seat Belt Use Laws by State
- NHTSA — Primary Enforcement Seat Belt Use Laws