Chart assignment

Charts to read and discuss

Read each chart, then answer its questions. Every chart shows its source and date; open it for a table of the numbers and the data to download.

  1. What share of people killed in cars weren't wearing a seat belt?

Chart 1 of 1 · Road safety

What share of people killed in cars weren't wearing a seat belt?

The interactive chart needs JavaScript. The numbers are on the chart's page.

In 2024, 48% of the people killed in passenger cars, SUVs, pickups and vans weren't wearing a seat belt, counting only those whose belt use is known. The share has fallen as more people buckle up: it was over 90% in the early 1980s, before most states had seat belt laws, and about 60% in 2000.

Questions to discuss

  1. In one sentence of your own, what does this chart show?
  2. Find the biggest change or difference in the chart. What might explain it?
  3. Who collected these numbers, and how recent are they? What else would you want to know before drawing a conclusion?

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) (Public domain (U.S. government work)) · Data as of Dec 31, 2024

Open the chart and its numbers

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