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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Motor Vehicle Injury – Safety Belts: Primary (vs. Secondary) Enforcement Laws

About this resource:

Systematic Review

Source: The Guide to Community Preventive Services

Last Reviewed: October 2000

Workgroups: Injury and Violence Prevention Workgroup

The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends primary safety belt laws — instead of secondary enforcement laws — to reduce deaths and injuries from motor vehicle crashes. Primary safety belt laws let police stop drivers for not wearing a safety belt only. Under secondary safety belt laws, police can only ticket a driver for not wearing a safety belt if they stopped the driver for another reason, like speeding.

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Objectives related to this resource (2)

Reduce the proportion of deaths of car passengers who weren't buckled in — IVP‑07
Little or no detectable change
Reduce deaths from motor vehicle crashes — IVP‑06
Getting worse

Suggested Citation

1.

Guide to Community Preventive Services. (2000). Motor Vehicle Injury – Safety Belts: Primary (vs. Secondary) Enforcement Laws. Retrieved from https://www.thecommunityguide.org/findings/motor-vehicle-injury-safety-belts-primary-vs-secondary-enforcement-laws