Montana Ranks First in Nation for Unbuckled Traffic Deaths

When my family moved my grandma in with us for a while, we quickly discovered just how differently generations can view seat belts.

My grandma is old school, and she hates wearing one, especially when she's sitting in the back seat. She may not like it, but this is one rule I am not willing to bend on.

Anyone who rides in my car has to wear a seat belt. That includes my child, my husband, my friends, and yes, even my grandma. Until everyone is buckled, the car does not move.

Montana Leads the Nation in Unbuckled Traffic Deaths

A  50 state analysis from Blakeley Law Firm shows why I refuse to make exceptions.

Montana ranks first in the country for the rate of people who died in crashes while not wearing a seat belt. Over the five years included in the study, 474 unbuckled people died on Montana roads.

That equals an annual rate of 8.49 deaths for every 100,000 residents, the highest rate in the United States. Every other state had a lower rate than Montana.

Montana's Seat Belt Death Rate Is Far Above Other States

The difference between Montana and the safest states is difficult to ignore.

Montana's rate was nearly nine times higher than New York, which had the lowest rate at 0.97 deaths per 100,000 residents. Montana's rate was also nearly eight times higher than Hawaii's rate of 1.12.

Even compared with neighboring Idaho, Montana's numbers stand out. Idaho recorded 4.75 unbuckled deaths per 100,000 residents, meaning Montana's rate was nearly twice as high.

Wyoming came closest to Montana with a rate of 8.42, followed by Alabama, Mississippi, and Missouri.

Why Seat Belt Safety Feels Personal to Me

I've worked in media for decades, and I have read far too many stories about crashes in which someone was killed while not wearing a seat belt. Those stories stay with you, especially when you know that buckling up takes only a few seconds.

Montana gives us plenty of reasons to be cautious behind the wheel. We travel long distances, sometimes through areas where emergency help is far away, which is part of why I've written before about getting your car ready for Montana's toughest driving conditions. We share the road with wildlife, winter weather, distracted drivers, and people traveling at highway speeds.

We can't control every danger we may face, but we can control whether everyone in the vehicle is buckled.

Montana Seat Belt Laws Require Drivers and Passengers to Buckle Up

Seat belts are required under Montana law. However, Montana has what is known as secondary enforcement. That means an officer generally cannot stop a driver solely because someone is not wearing a seat belt. A citation can be issued if the vehicle is stopped for another violation, according to the Montana Department of Transportation.

Whether an officer can pull someone over should not be the reason we buckle up. Getting home safely should be reason enough.

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Montana Drivers Can Help Change This Deadly Ranking

The 474 people included in this study were not simply numbers in a report. They were family members, friends, coworkers, and neighbors who never made it home.

That is why the seat belt rule in my vehicle is not negotiable. My grandma may roll her eyes, complain, or remind me that she is sitting in the back seat. I still wait for the click.

I love her too much to move the car until I hear it.