Buckle Up In Back Seat, It Could Save A Life

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - With an estimated 47 million people expected to hit the road over the Thanksgiving holiday, traffic safety experts have a word of advice for passengers in the back seat - buckle up.

New research from the Governors Highway Safety Association found 883 rear seat passengers who weren't wearing seat belts died in crashes in 2013. About half of them would like have survived if they were buckled up.

So why don't some people put on their seat belts when they ride in the rear passenger seat? Highway safety consultant Dr. Jim Hedlund said there are several factors.

"First you have heard for years you are safer in the back seat. Second, you don't think about it as much when you get into the back seat, especially something like a taxi. And third, half the states don't have laws requiring belt use in the back seat," said Hedlund.

Hedlund, who wrote the reports, said of particular concern are passengers in cabs and ride sharing services like Uber. Overall, more than 1 in 5 back seat passengers don't buckle up compared to 87-percent of front seat passengers who do.

According to government data, passengers riding in the back seat are three times more likely to die in an accident when not wearing a seat belt.

Hedlund's report recommends all states require all passengers to wear seat belts.