Safety belt use in Wisconsin is...

Behind the national average and neighboring states

• Although safety belt use in Wisconsin is at an all-time high of 88 percent of drivers and passengers buckling up, the state still lags behind the national average of 89 percent.
• Wisconsin is also behind its neighboring states all of which have safety belt use rates of more than 90 percent.

An incredibly effective and simple way to save lives

• Consistent safety belt use by all occupants including those in rear seats is the single most effective way to protect against being ejected from a vehicle or being thrown around violently inside it during a crash.

Costing all of us lots of money for unbelted motorists in crashes:

• Drivers and passengers who are hurt or killed in traffic crashes because they didn't buckle up create tremendous economic losses, such as medical expenses and lost worker productivity. The rest of society pays for nearly 75 percent of these economic losses through higher insurance premiums, taxes, and other public funding, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.
• In 2013, economic losses from traffic fatalities and injuries in Wisconsin cost more than $2.7 billion, according to the 2013 Wisconsin Traffic Crash Facts.