Every year, thousands of people die in vehicle crashes because they are not wearing a seat belt. In 2020, more than 38,000 people died on the road—a 7% increase from 2019. In that same year, in accidents involving commercial vehicles, nearly 5,000 people died and more than 146,000 were injured.
According to surveys conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, nearly 14% of all commercial motor vehicle drivers do not wear a seat belt. In fatal crashes, approximately 50% of large truck occupants who did not wear seat belts lost their lives.
Federal regulations require commercial vehicle drivers to buckle up. So why are drivers not using seat belts? Frankly, there are a lot of myths out there. Let’s set the record straight.