According to the Rhode Island Department of Transportation’s Office on Highway Safety (OHS), about 90.5% of drivers and front-seat passengers in Rhode Island now wear seatbelts, the highest number ever recorded.
The numbers are based on an annual statewide survey conducted in June of each year as part of the office’s qualifying for federal funds. Survey observations took place at 90 sites statewide during daylight hours. Previous year’s numbers were: 89.1% in 2023, 87.1% in 2022, and 89.4% in 2021.
“Safety is our most important goal. We put a lot of effort and a lot of resources into working towards zero highway deaths. Our preliminary numbers for this year show that out of 12 fatalities, seven were not wearing their seatbelts. It takes one second to buckle up, why would anyone not do that?,” said RIDOT Director Peter Alviti.
The annual compliance survey was conducted on 90 sites across Rhode Island during daylight hours in June 2024.
Rhode Island passed a mandatory seatbelt law in 2013 with a compliance rate of 77.5%. That rate increased to 85.6% the next year after the law was passed.
The Office of Highway Safety at RIDOT works with law enforcement and community groups to promote seatbelt use through education and enforcement.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) assisted a What’sUpNewp journalist with the reporting included in this story.
