Occupant Protection

Seat Belts Save Lives and NHTSA provides national leadership in planning and developing traffic injury control safety programs in the areas of seat belts, child car seat use, and automatic occupant protection systems (e.g., air bags).

Useful Information

Avoiding "Tween" Tragedies: Demonstration Project to Increase Seat Belt Use Among 8- to 15-year-old Motor Vehicle Occupants - The purpose of this project was to increase seat belt use among 8- to 15-year-old motor vehicle occupants ("tweens") by using a comprehensive approach involving police-driven educational programs, earned and paid media, and enforcement of Pennsylvania’s occupant protection law.
Summary of Vehicle Occupant Protection Laws (10th Edition) - A summary chart of the key provisions of State occupant protection laws and detailed lists of these laws in every State. Such laws include requiring the use of (1) seat belts, (2) child passenger restraint devices, and (3) motorcycle or bicycle helmets.
The top 5 things you should know about Buckling Up
The Pregnant Woman's Guide to Buckling Up
Occupant Protection Facts - Three booklets presenting general information on the need for and importance of promoting occupant restraint use for children, youth, and young adults.
What You Need to Know About Air Bags - Air bags are called supplemental restraints because they are designed to work best in combination with seat belts.
Issues Among Older Drivers and Passengers - This background research was followed by a series of 15 focus groups with older adults in four States. Participants discussed experiences and difficulties associated with seat belt use.
Using Haptic Feedback to Increase Seat Belt Use of Service Vehicle Drivers - This study tested a contingency in which unbelted drivers experienced sustained sense of touch (haptic) feedback to the gas pedal when exceeding 25mph.