New Jersey’s seat belt usage rate has reached nearly 95% following the 2025 “Click It or Ticket” campaign, according to an announcement from Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division of Highway Traffic Safety (HTS). The increase is based on the state’s annual observational survey, which shows a significant rise in compliance compared to previous years.
The survey found that 94.97% of front-seat occupants now use seat belts, up from 90.51% in 2024. Driver seat belt usage increased to 95.11%, and front-seat passenger usage rose to 94.22%. Sport utility vehicles reported the highest compliance rate at 96.56%.
Attorney General Platkin said, “Seat belts save lives, and we are committed to ensuring that this message gets through to New Jersey drivers. 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.”
Michael J. Rizol Jr., Director of the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety, added, “Improving seatbelt usage is an absolute priority, even with our high compliance rate. 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.”
Weighted data from the survey showed similar trends: overall weighted front-seat occupant usage was recorded at 94.33%, reflecting a nearly four percent increase over last year.
At the county level, Union, Burlington, and Passaic counties had some of the largest increases for front-seat passenger usage. Union County reported the highest rates among both occupants (97.93%) and drivers (97.99%), while Monmouth County led for front-seat passengers at 98.97%.
Usage rates also differed by road type; primary roads saw higher compliance among both drivers and occupants compared to secondary or local roads.
The survey was conducted after this year’s “Click It or Ticket” campaign ran from May 12 through June 1 under guidelines set by federal regulations requiring representative sampling across different road types and counties.
The New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin is responsible for enforcing laws related to public safety throughout all areas of New Jersey—including initiatives like this one targeting improved seat belt use statewide.
The agency works to protect residents’ lives and property by upholding legal standards across all counties (official website). It provides oversight on law enforcement efforts as part of its broader mission covering legal representation, crime prevention programs such as highway safety campaigns like “Click It or Ticket,” victim advocacy services, consumer protection measures (official website), and regulation related matters within its statutory authority (official website).
