National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Releases Reports on Restraint Use and Distracted Driving

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently released two reports that estimate that seat belts saved more than 72,000 lives during the five years between 2005 and 2009, while child restraint systems and minimum drinking age laws saved hundreds more during 2009.

According to the reports, Lives Saved in 2009 by Restraint Use and Minimum Drinking Age Laws and Seat Belt Use in 2010 – Overall Results, the use of seat belts in 2009 saved an estimated 12,713 lives, while motorcycle helmet use prevented an additional estimated 1,483 deaths.   In addition, the report estimates that between 2005 and 2009, motorcycle helmets saved 8,328 lives.  The report also estimates that 623 lives were saved in 2009 by 21-year-old minimum drinking age laws, and that 309 toddlers were saved (aged 4 and under) because of child restraints.

“As impressive as these figures are, they could be, and should be, even more impressive,” NHTSA Administrator David Strickland told a gathering of state highway safety officials at a recent meeting of the Governors Highway Safety Association.  “If we had 100 percent compliance for seat belt and motorcycle helmet use, we would have saved an additional 4,420 lives in 2009.”

To access these reports, please visit:

NHTSA: Lives Saved in 2009 by Restraint Use and Minimum-Drinking-Age Laws (September 2010)

NHTSA: Seat Belt Use in 2010 - Overall Results (September 2010)

In addition, on the eve of the recent 2010 Distracted Driving Summit, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood  announced that distracted driving-related crashes claimed 5,474 lives and led to 448,000 traffic injuries across the U.S. in 2009. According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration research, distraction-related fatalities represented 16 percent of overall traffic fatalities in 2009 – the same percentage as in 2008.

The NHTSA study found that the proportion of fatalities associated with driver distraction increased from 10 percent to 16 percent between 2005 and 2009, even as overall traffic fatalities fell in 2009 to their lowest levels since 1950. According to NHTSA data, the age group with the greatest proportion of distracted drivers was the under-20 age group.  Sixteen percent of all under-20 drivers involved in a fatal crash were reported to have been distracted while driving.  Of those drivers involved in fatal crashes who were reportedly distracted, the 30-39 year old group had the highest proportion of cell phone involvement.

To access this report, please visit:

NHTSA: Distracted Driving 2009 (September 2010)