Factors › Unrestrained occupants
Factor
Unrestrained occupants
Measure share of vehicle-occupant deaths where no restraint was used, among those with restraint use knownWindow 2015–2024
FARS data are based on police crash reports and other sources; the drunk-driving measure is based on the highest BAC of any driver in the crash. Latest data year: 2024.
Among people killed while occupying a vehicle other than a motorcycle, the share coded as using no restraint (FARS REST_USE "none used"), out of those whose restraint use was known. Unknown and not-reported cases are excluded from the denominator.
National trend
By state, 2015–2024
| # | State | Share | Count | All deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | 69.2% | 510 | 1,228 |
| 2 | South Dakota | 65.8% | 601 | 1,323 |
| 3 | Missouri | 63.5% | 4,022 | 9,557 |
| 4 | Montana | 63.3% | 968 | 2,046 |
| 5 | Nebraska | 63.2% | 1,008 | 2,346 |
| 6 | North Dakota | 62.9% | 454 | 1,060 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | 61.7% | 1,127 | 3,665 |
| 8 | Wyoming | 60.6% | 567 | 1,260 |
| 9 | Idaho | 58.3% | 986 | 2,387 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | 57.8% | 3,782 | 11,650 |
| 11 | Alabama | 57.6% | 3,926 | 9,605 |
| 12 | Louisiana | 57.5% | 2,777 | 8,045 |
| 13 | Vermont | 56.8% | 246 | 643 |
| 14 | Ohio | 55.4% | 4,035 | 11,899 |
| 15 | Arizona | 54.7% | 2,831 | 10,939 |
| 16 | Colorado | 54.5% | 2,126 | 6,518 |
| 17 | New Mexico | 54.3% | 1,297 | 4,096 |
| 18 | Virginia | 54.3% | 3,349 | 8,664 |
| 19 | Arkansas | 54.2% | 2,087 | 5,846 |
| 20 | District of Columbia | 53.8% | 50 | 335 |
| 21 | Oklahoma | 53.7% | 2,387 | 6,765 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | 53.4% | 173 | 601 |
| 23 | South Carolina | 53.2% | 3,494 | 10,473 |
| 24 | West Virginia | 53.2% | 946 | 2,726 |
| 25 | Mississippi | 53.0% | 2,721 | 7,057 |
| 26 | Kentucky | 52.5% | 2,974 | 7,684 |
| 27 | Kansas | 52.4% | 1,481 | 4,045 |
| 28 | Maine | 52.4% | 598 | 1,593 |
| 29 | Hawaii | 51.8% | 174 | 1,035 |
| 30 | Georgia | 49.9% | 4,909 | 15,801 |
| 31 | Connecticut | 49.8% | 701 | 2,983 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | 49.1% | 1,808 | 5,959 |
| 33 | Tennessee | 48.7% | 3,692 | 11,576 |
| 34 | Iowa | 48.1% | 1,122 | 3,477 |
| 35 | Alaska | 47.7% | 199 | 722 |
| 36 | Delaware | 47.4% | 339 | 1,287 |
| 37 | Illinois | 46.8% | 2,935 | 11,423 |
| 38 | North Carolina | 46.8% | 4,703 | 15,192 |
| 39 | Indiana | 45.9% | 2,367 | 8,773 |
| 40 | Utah | 45.6% | 770 | 2,824 |
| 41 | New Jersey | 45.5% | 1,396 | 6,150 |
| 42 | Florida | 45.3% | 7,583 | 32,681 |
| 43 | Texas | 45.1% | 10,704 | 39,616 |
| 44 | Nevada | 44.8% | 740 | 3,557 |
| 45 | Maryland | 43.4% | 1,247 | 5,548 |
| 46 | Washington | 40.8% | 1,340 | 6,257 |
| 47 | Minnesota | 39.8% | 972 | 4,111 |
| 48 | Michigan | 39.4% | 2,257 | 10,567 |
| 49 | New York | 38.5% | 1,910 | 10,682 |
| 50 | California | 38.0% | 7,452 | 39,702 |
| 51 | Oregon | 35.0% | 1,010 | 5,211 |
Counties with the highest share
Counties with at least 100 crash deaths in 2015–2024, ranked by share. A high share says what kind of crashes a county has, not how many; the county page gives the rate per 100,000 residents.
| # | County | State | Share | Count | All deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Horn County | MT | 78.1% | 82 | 130 |
| 2 | Dallas County | AL | 77.2% | 71 | 127 |
| 3 | Fremont County | WY | 75.3% | 70 | 123 |
| 4 | Chilton County | AL | 71.3% | 77 | 136 |
| 5 | Suffolk County | MA | 71.1% | 59 | 271 |
| 6 | Lincoln County | MO | 70.8% | 63 | 114 |
| 7 | Strafford County | NH | 70.8% | 51 | 119 |
| 8 | St. Francois County | MO | 69.9% | 51 | 120 |
| 9 | Richmond city | VA | 69.2% | 72 | 205 |
| 10 | Pittsburg County | OK | 68.9% | 51 | 103 |
| 11 | Rockingham County | NH | 68.8% | 99 | 239 |
| 12 | Philadelphia County | PA | 68.4% | 147 | 1,196 |
| 13 | Plymouth County | MA | 68.2% | 135 | 370 |
| 14 | White County | AR | 67.9% | 76 | 155 |
| 15 | Pennington County | SD | 67.9% | 38 | 141 |
| 16 | Hampden County | MA | 67.8% | 137 | 418 |
| 17 | Jefferson County | MO | 67.3% | 167 | 345 |
| 18 | Walker County | AL | 67.1% | 104 | 195 |
| 19 | Jackson County | MO | 66.9% | 397 | 1,067 |
| 20 | Hillsborough County | NH | 66.9% | 101 | 262 |
| 21 | Milwaukee County | WI | 66.8% | 266 | 861 |
| 22 | St. Louis city | MO | 66.7% | 166 | 613 |
| 23 | Crawford County | PA | 66.7% | 56 | 121 |
| 24 | Barnstable County | MA | 66.2% | 47 | 138 |
| 25 | Newton County | MO | 66.0% | 68 | 166 |
Other factors: Alcohol · Speeding · Pedestrians · Motorcycles
Questions and answers
What share of US fatal crashes involve unrestrained occupants?
49.0% over 2015–2024 (share of vehicle-occupant deaths where no restraint was used, among those with restraint use known), 111,853 in total. Among people killed while occupying a vehicle other than a motorcycle, the share coded as using no restraint (FARS REST_USE "none used"), out of those whose restraint use was known. Unknown and not-reported cases are excluded from the denominator.
Which states have the highest unrestrained occupants share?
New Hampshire (69.2%), South Dakota (65.8%), Missouri (63.5%), Montana (63.3%), Nebraska (63.2%). The lowest: Oregon (35.0%), California (38.0%), New York (38.5%).
Is the share rising or falling?
Nationally, 47.0% in 2015 and 49.8% in 2024. The chart on this page shows each year.
Provenance
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System, vehicle and person tables 2015–2024, public domain. National shares over 2015–2024: 358,460 fatal crashes, 389,190 deaths. Data through 31 Dec 2024; generated 30 Sep 2026. See methodology.