Published by NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590

Traffic Safety Facts

Crash • Stats

DOT HS 810 869 A Brief Statistical Summary December 2007

The use of seat belts in motor vehicles saved an estimated 

15,383 lives in 2006. Seat belts have saved over 75,000 lives 

during the five-year period from 2002 through 2006. These 

annual lives saved counts, shown in Table 1, have been produced by NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis 

since 1975. The counts are estimates which are calculated using the effectiveness of each device or law that is mentioned.

In addition to the 15,383 lives saved in 2006 by seat belts, 

2,796 lives were saved by frontal air bags, motorcycle helmets saved 1,658 lives, 21-year-old minimum drinking age 

laws saved 890 lives, and child restraints (child safety seats 

and lap/shoulder belts) saved 425 lives. An additional 5,441 

lives would have been saved in 2006 if all unrestrained motor 

vehicle occupants involved in fatal crashes had worn their 

seat belts; and if all motorcycle riders had been helmeted, 

then an additional 752 lives would have been saved. 

The number of lives saved by frontal air bags has climbed 

each year during this five-year period from 2002 through 

2006, as a larger percentage of the vehicle fleet has become 

equipped with frontal air bags. As the number of motorcycle 

riders has greatly increased in recent years, the number of 

lives saved by motorcycle helmets has also gone up sharply.

Lives Saved in 2006 by Restraint Use and 

 Minimum Drinking Age Laws

Table

Have

1: Lives Saved by Restraint Use, and 21-Year-Old Minimum Drinking Age Laws,

Been Saved at 100 Percent Seat Belt and Motorcycle Helmet Use, 2002 - 2006

and Additional Lives That Would 

Year

Lives Saved, Age

and Younger

4 

Lives Saved, Age 5 and Older Lived Saved, All Ages

Additional Lives That Would

Been Saved at 100 Percent

Have 

Use

Child Restraints Seat Belts Frontal Air Bags

Motorcycle 

Helmets

Minimum Drinking 

Age Law Seat Belts Motorcycle Helmets

2002 383 14,264 2,324 992 922 6,837 576

2003 447 15,095 2,519 1,173 918 6,151 651

2004 455 15,548 2,660 1,324 927 5,874 673

2005 424 15,688 2,752 1,554 882 5,667 731

2006 425 15,383 2,796 1,658 890 5,441 752

Source: FARS 2002-2005 Final File, 2006 Annual Report File

Table 2 on the back page shows lives saved totals in the year 

2006 for all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto 

Rico. The far left column is the lives saved by child restraints 

among children younger than five years old, and the next 

three columns refer respectively to lives saved by seat belts, 

frontal air bags, and motorcycle helmets, among people age 5 

and older. The numbers in the far right column represent the 

additional lives savable at 100 percent seat belt use. 

Table 2: Lives Saved in 2006 by Child Restraints, Age 4 and Younger, and by Seat Belts, Frontal Air Bags, and Motorcycle 

Helmets, Age 5 and Older

Lives Saved by Lives Saved by Lives Saved by Lives Saved by Additional Lives Savable at 

State Child Restraints Seat Belts Frontal Air Bags Motorcycle Helmets 100 Percent Seat Belt Use

Alabama 10 452 87 56 185

Alaska 0 33 4 4 10

Arizona 13 366 72 29 175

Arkansas 14 174 49 11 138

California 52 1888 218 258 316

Colorado 8 168 34 8 74

Connecticut 3 117 20 11 37

Delaware 1 54 10 2 17
Published by NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590

Table 2: Lives Saved in 2006 by Child Restraints, Age 4 and Younger, and by Seat Belts, Frontal Air Bags, and Motorcycle 

Helmets, Age 5 and Older

State

Lives Saved by 

Child Restraints

Lives Saved by 

Seat Belts

Lives Saved by 

Frontal Air Bags

Lives Saved by 

Motorcycle Helmets

Additional Lives Savable at 

100 Percent Seat Belt Use

DC 0 11 2 1 2

Florida 9 923 200 176 394

Georgia 29 650 123 78 172

Hawaii 0 50 7 4 8

Idaho 4 106 15 9 47

Illinois 19 465 90 17 133

Indiana 12 324 58 13 125

Iowa 6 197 29 5 47

Kansas 5 167 34 12 93

Kentucky 6 250 61 18 203

Louisiana 7 350 79 49 189

Maine 1 66 13 4 33

Maryland 3 292 43 43 58

Massachusetts 0 115 33 26 82

Michigan 8 538 72 59 81

Minnesota 4 180 36 9 68

Mississippi 11 262 72 26 180

Missouri 5 279 80 45 188

Montana 3 77 18 7 44

Nebraska 9 91 19 8 52

Nevada 8 158 27 24 39

New Hampshire 0 26 12 4 28

New Jersey 4 165 38 45 44

New Mexico 6 207 28 6 49

New York 7 494 83 99 170

North Carolina 23 675 107 81 173

North Dakota 0 39 7 0 20

Ohio 10 415 86 24 175

Oklahoma 22 279 58 10 108

Oregon 8 259 17 25 40

Pennsylvania 12 417 105 58 162

Rhode Island 0 10 5 3 9

South Carolina 2 309 74 17 195

South Dakota 1 33 14 3 34

Tennessee 17 423 90 71 206

Texas 41 1611 235 74 376

Utah 4 143 19 5 33

Vermont 0 42 8 4 15

Virginia 8 321 73 40 155

Washington 4 277 35 44 34

West Virginia 3 124 30 17 39

Wisconsin 1 238 53 14 131

Wyoming 2 73 14 2 55

National 425 15383 2796 1658 5441

Puerto Rico 1 107 17 29 21

(continued)