How do adult seat belt laws impact child safety?
Studies show that parents who wear their seat belts are more likely to properly restrain their children, and that seat belt use is significantly higher in states with primary enforcement laws. A recent survey found that shoulder belt use in states with seat belt laws was 77 percent, compared with 64 percent in states that do not require the use of seat belts. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that drivers who buckle up do the same for children riding with them 87 percent of the time. This percentage decreases to 76 percent when drivers are not buckled.
