Seat Belt Use

Fasten Your Seat Belts — Primary Law Now in Effect

Minnesota’s primary seat belt law went into effect on June 9, 2009, meaning drivers and passengers in all seating positions must be buckled up or in the correct child restraint.

• Read the press release

Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety resources

• Seat belts and airbags: statistics, promotional materials, lesson plans, links, and more
• Saved by the Belt Program

Research

• Impact of Minnesota’s Primary Seat Belt Law: An Evaluation Update (PDF)
  Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2014
• 2014 Observational Seat Belt Survey (PDF)
  Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Office of Traffic Safety, 2014
• Partners for Rural Traffic Safety Action Kit
  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 2001
  DOT HS 809 299
  This toolkit provides strategies for increasing seat belt use. Fifteen communities took part in the project to develop strategies for increasing seat belt use. By using the roadmap and tools enclosed in this kit, any rural community can replicate the success achieved by the 15 communities that took part in the pilot project.
• The Impact of Legislation, Enforcement, and Sanctions on Safety Belt Use (PDF)
  Transportation Research Board, 2008
  NCHRP REPORT 601
• States With Primary Enforcement Laws Have Lower Fatality Rates (PDF)
  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2008
  Traffic Safety Facts - Research Note No. HS-810 921
• Factors Influencing Seat Belt Usage Rate for Blacks and Hispanics (PDF)
  Transportation Research Board, 2007
• Pregnant Women and Safety Belts: What Do We Know? (PDF)
  Transportation Research Board, 2005
  Conference Proceedings 35
• Vehicle Occupancy and Crash Risk (PDF)
  Transportation Research Board, 2005
• Commercial Motor Vehicle Driver Safety Belt Usage
  Transportation Research Board, 2005
  Commercial Truck and Bus Safety Synthesis Program (CTBSSP) Synthesis 8

Legislation in Minnesota

• Minnesota's seat belt laws
  Compiled by the Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety
• Summary of Minnesota Highway Safety Laws
  Governors Highway Safety Association

Legislation elsewhere

• Safety belt use laws (US – Summary)
  Insurance Institute for Highway Safety