New Jersey Seat Belt Usage Reaches Nearly 95% Following 2025 ‘Click It or Ticket’ Campaign

Link to 2025 report

TRENTON – Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division of Highway Traffic Safety (HTS) announced today that New Jersey’s seat belt usage rate has risen significantly following the statewide 2025 “Click It or Ticket” enforcement campaign.

The state’s annual observational survey showed that nearly 95% of front-seat occupants wear a seat belt. The increase reflects one of the strongest post-campaign compliance gains in recent years and places New Jersey well above the most recently reported national seat belt usage rate of 91.2%.

“Seat belts save lives, and we are committed to ensuring that this message gets through to New Jersey drivers,” said Attorney General Platkin. “Nearly 95% of New Jersey drivers and front-seat passengers are buckling up—and that’s a marked increase over the previous year. These gains reflect the dedication of our law enforcement officers, our public education campaigns, and the strong partnership among agencies committed to preventing traffic fatalities.”

“Improving seatbelt usage is an absolute priority, even with our high compliance rate,” said Michael J. Rizol Jr., Director of the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety. “Each year, hundreds of drivers and passengers are killed in traffic crashes, and more than 40% of them are not wearing their seatbelts. So many lives are lost in that group of people who disregard our safety message. Even minor improvements save lives.”

The annual observational survey – submitted by the New Jersey Institute of Technology and the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety in accordance with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Uniform Criteria -- shows broad improvements among drivers, front-seat passengers, and multiple categories of vehicles. The post-campaign survey recorded an overall front-seat occupant usage rate of 94.97%, compared to 90.51% in 2024. Driver usage rose to 95.11% from 90.86% the previous year, and front-seat passenger usage increased to 94.22% from 89.10%. Sport utility vehicles again demonstrated the highest compliance, with a usage rate of 96.56%.

“Weighted” data – data that applies statistical adjustments, or “weights,” to ensure the results are balanced and representative – collected through the survey similarly demonstrated improvement across all categories. The weighted usage rate for front-seat occupants was 94.33%, representing a 3.93% increase over 2024. Drivers recorded a weighted usage rate of 94.41%, up 4.02% from the prior year, while front-seat passengers recorded a rate of 93.71%, an increase of 3.25% points.

The county-level data also revealed significant progress. Union, Burlington, and Passaic counties posted the largest increases in front-seat passenger usage. Union County reported the highest usage among front-seat occupants and drivers, with rates of 97.93% and 97.99%, respectively. Monmouth County recorded the highest front-seat passenger rate at 98.97%, a substantial increase over its 2024 rate.

Usage rates varied by road type as well; the highest rates for front-seat occupants and drivers were observed on primary roads, while front-seat passengers demonstrated the highest usage on secondary roads. Local roads saw the lowest overall rates, though all remained above 93%.

The annual seat belt usage survey was conducted following the May 12, 2025 through June 1, 2025, “Click It or Ticket” campaign. All data were collected in accordance with NHTSA’s guidelines under 23 CFR Part 1340, which establishes uniform criteria for state observational surveys. New Jersey’s federally approved survey design provides a representative sampling of usage across road types and counties and ensures that roadway and site selections are refreshed at least every five years, as required by federal regulation.

More News from Raritan

• Local Spotlight: Somerset Valley Players Bring Laughter and Warmth to Winter Nights The production runs weekends from January 16 through February 1.
• Exhibitor Registration Now Open for Jersey Job Fair at Bridgewater Commons One of New Jersey’s highest attended hiring events returns to Bridgewater Commons this March.