A review 2001 - 2009 data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) found that states with primary seatbelt laws, or laws that allow vehicle occupants to be ticketed solely for not wearing seatbelts, had a 17 percent reduction in the incidence rate of motor vehicle fatalities compared to states with secondary seatbelt laws. Secondary seatbelt laws only allow citations within the context of other traffic violations. The findings are published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
Editorialists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) call the prevention of motor vehicle injuries a "winnable battle" because interventions have an immediate positive effect. They say that four additional evidence-based interventions could further increase seatbelt use: 1) apply existing seatbelt laws to all positions in the vehicle; 2) increase fines for noncompliance with seatbelt laws; 3) expand high-visibility enforcement at night; and 4) bolster communication campaigns, such as "Click It or Ticket."