Love Clicks. Buckle Up.
While the national seat belt rate hovers around 90%, Massachusetts' rate continues to lag. The 2019 annual seat belt observation study resulted in an 81.6% rate statewide, with the lowest usage populations continues to be men (77%), pick-up truck drivers (68%), and commercial vehicle drivers (58%). And with more than half of peoples killed in motor vehicle crashes in state being unbuckled, the need to always buckle up is ever constant.
To that end, the MA Highway Safety Division has launched the Love Clicks. Buckle Up. campaign. Our ads serve to remind people that by wearing a seat belt, they're not only protecting themselves but also those who would be devastated by their loss. It's a message we'll be taking out on the road this summer and delivering to people in cities and towns across the Commonwealth.
Additional Resources
Massachusetts Seat Belt PSAs
Statewide Seat Belt Observation Survey
Each year, the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, Office of Grants and Research, Highway Safety Division conducts a statewide seat belt observation study to measure seat belt usage across the Commonwealth. The survey typically runs through the month of June and observations are done at a wide range of roadway locations during various time periods of the day.
In 2019, Massachusetts seat belt use rate was 81.6%, same as reported in 2018. The national seat belt use rate was 90.7%, up slightly from 89.6% in 2018.
Read the 2019 Survey: 2019 Statewide Seat Belt Observation Survey
Below (in the Additional Resources section) are surveys from the previous three years.