The Greatest Auto Safety Device Over 25 years, low-tech, low-glamour seat belts have saved more than 100,000 lives.
By Tara Kalwarski

(MONEY Magazine) – Though most car safety innovations--from windshield wipers to center, high-mounted brake lights--have made road travel less hazardous, the unequivocal leader of the safety pack is the humble seat belt. From 1975 through 2000, seat belts saved an estimated 135,102 lives, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In addition, average medical costs for hospitalized crash victims who were not using seat belts run 55% higher than the costs for those who were strapped in.

The standard three-point lap-and-shoulder belt was designed and patented in 1951 but didn't become popular until the '60s. New York was the first state to pass a seat-belt law in 1984; today 49 states and the District of Columbia mandate their use. (New Hampshire is the sole holdout.)

In 2000, NHTSA found that 71% of Americans buckled up, saving almost 12,000 lives. If all passenger vehicle occupants had used belts, another 9,000 lives would have been spared.

Also undeniable are the safety benefits of child restraints. If installed properly, age-appropriate child-safety seats reduce the likelihood of fatal injury in passenger cars by 54% among toddlers from one to four and 71% among infants less than one year old. But that's a big if: Experts estimate that 80% to 90% of safety seats are improperly installed. If you need help installing a child seat, go to www.nhtsa.gov for referrals to experts in your area. --TARA KALWARSKI