Last year, Uber teamed up with the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) to create the first-ever National Seat Belt Day to help encourage people to buckle up. By observing this safety moment on November 14 annually, we hope it will serve as a touchpoint to encourage action and remind people to buckle up every time they get in a vehicle ahead of the holiday time period.

While holiday travel will look different this year for families across the country, for those venturing out and visiting family, we want to remind everyone to buckle up  – whether in the front or backseat of the car.

Over the last few years, we’ve been partnering together with GHSA to help encourage everyone to buckle up in every seat, on every ride. A 2017 survey by IIHS found that 4 in 5 adults admitted they don’t bother to buckle up when taking short trips or when traveling by taxi or ridesharing.  

As road safety experts all agree, seat belts are one of the most effective traffic safety measures today. According to the National Safety Council, nearly 90% of Americans wear seat belts on a regular basis, but nearly 50% of motor vehicle crash fatalities were unbelted. Seat belts save nearly 15,000 lives annually, and if everyone buckled up, an additional 2,456 lives would be saved.

Yet, some states are seeing an increase in unbelted fatalities. For example, in Virginia, there was an increase of nearly 16% in unbelted fatalities in the first half of 2020 compared to the first half of 2019, according to the NSC. 

Technology & Research Investment:

Last November, riders received an in-app safety banner to encourage them to wear their seat belts. This year, we are continuing to invest in both technology and research to help guide a future global rollout for riders and drivers around the world to encourage seat belt usage on every trip.  

In the next few weeks, some riders in select markets, including Richmond, Atlanta, DC, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, NYC, Phoenix and Denver, will receive on trip reminders to buckle up, as well as conducting research to help to determine seat belt usage and understand the reasons why riders don’t buckle up. 

“Passengers who fail to buckle up in the back seat could be seriously injured – even killed – in the event of an abrupt stop or crash,” said Pam Fischer, GHSA’s Senior Director of External Engagement and a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician. “Unfortunately, it’s the cause of hundreds of preventable deaths annually. GHSA applauds Uber’s continued commitment to using its app to remind drivers and riders to buckle up every trip. It’s a simple act that can have lifesaving impact.”

Our message is simple—no matter where you’re seated in the vehicle—remember to buckle up, whether you are going a few blocks, a few miles or a long distance trip. Make it Click. 

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