Unbuckled or Unprotected: Safety Device Non-Use Was a Factor in 320 Arizona Traffic Deaths in 2025

Failure to use a safety device was a factor in 320 Arizona traffic deaths and 2,807 injuries in 2025, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) — down from 347 deaths and 3,165 injuries in 2024. ADOT released the figures August 27, 2026, in its report on 2025 crash data, which showed total traffic fatalities falling for a third straight year.

What ADOT reported

ADOT counted 1,156 traffic fatalities statewide in 2025, a 5.2 percent decrease from 2024. Within that total, crashes in which a safety device was not used accounted for 320 deaths, a drop of 27 from the 347 recorded the year before. By our calculation, that is a decline of about 7.8 percent, and 320 deaths equals roughly 27.7 percent of the statewide total. ADOT's release does not state that percentage itself.

Injuries tied to the category also fell: 2,807 in 2025 versus 3,165 in 2024, a decrease of 358, or about 11.3 percent by our calculation.

One of three leading factors

ADOT's release identifies speeding, alcohol impairment and failure to use a safety device as leading contributors to fatal crashes. Its 2025 fatality counts for the three are:

• Speeding: 367 deaths
• Alcohol impairment: 334 deaths
• Failure to use a safety device: 320 deaths

These categories overlap — one crash can involve more than one factor — so they should not be added together. Jesse Torrez, director of the Arizona Governor's Office of Highway Safety, said in the release: "The data is clear: speeding, alcohol, and unbuckled seatbelts remain top contributors to fatal collisions across our state." We covered the other two factors in our reports on speeding and alcohol-related deaths.

What Arizona's seat belt law requires

Arizona's seat belt statute, A.R.S. § 28-909, requires front-seat occupants of passenger vehicles designed for ten or fewer people to have a belt fastened and properly adjusted while the vehicle is moving. It also requires drivers to make each passenger under 16 use a belt. Children covered by the state's child restraint law, § 28-907, are handled separately.

The penalty is modest: the statute sets a maximum civil penalty of $10 per violation. Officers may not stop or cite someone for the violation alone unless they have reasonable cause to believe another motor vehicle law has been violated, and the violation cannot be used in license suspension decisions or for insurance cancellation or non-renewal. Exceptions include people with a written statement from a physician or registered nurse practitioner that they cannot wear a belt for medical or psychological reasons, and U.S. Postal Service letter carriers performing their duties.

What the data does not show

ADOT's release, as we reviewed it, does not break the 320 deaths down by seat belt versus other devices, by vehicle type, by seating position or by county, and it does not explain why the figure fell in 2025. The numbers count crashes in which non-use of a safety device was a factor; they do not establish that belt use alone would have changed the outcome in any individual crash.

The year-over-year drop is real but small against the scale of the problem. At 320 deaths, nearly 27.7 percent of the state's 2025 traffic fatalities involved a failure to use a safety device.

If you are hurt in a crash

Call 911, ask police to document the scene, seek medical care promptly, and keep records of everything related to the crash. Rules and deadlines depend on the facts, so consider consulting a licensed Arizona attorney about your situation. This article is news reporting and is not legal advice.

Sources: Arizona Department of Transportation, "Traffic fatalities on Arizona roads decline for third year in a row", released August 27, 2026; A.R.S. § 28-909, azleg.gov.