Only 24 per cent of UAE rear-seat passengers always wear a seat belt, survey finds

Dubai: Nearly everyone in the UAE knows seat belts save lives. About 95 per cent of residents, in fact. So why are only 24 per cent of rear-seat passengers actually wearing one? A new survey in the UAE has identified what it calls the single biggest opportunity to reduce road fatalities in the country.

The research conducted jointly by RoadSafetyUAE and Al Wathba Insurance has found that, while understanding of seat belt safety in the UAE has improved significantly since 2017, actual usage rates, particularly in rear seats - remain low.

The survey, conducted in January 2026 in partnership with an international research house, is based on a representative sample of 1,010 UAE residents.

The latest available figures from Abu Dhabi Police indicate that 60 per cent of road fatalities in Abu Dhabi are attributable to non-use of seat belts. No UAE-wide federal data are currently available for comparison. In the United States, the equivalent figure stands at 49 per cent, in the European Union it ranges between 25 and 50 per cent; and in the United Kingdom, it is 25 per cent.

Thomas Edelmann, Managing Director of RoadSafetyUAE, underscored the preventable nature of many of these deaths: “Accidents do happen, but the consequences don't need to be fatal or result in severe injuries. Studies show that seat belts reduce fatalities in vehicle accidents by between 45 and 60 per cent, depending on the type of car and the type of impact. For children, this value increases to up to 80 per cent.”

The gap between knowledge and practice

The findings reveal a striking disconnect between what people know and what they do – 95 per cent of respondents acknowledged that seat belts protect drivers and front-seat passengers, a figure that dropped to 82 per cent for rear-seat passengers. Yet when it comes to actual behaviour, the numbers tell a very different story.

While 86 per cent reported always wearing a seat belt when driving or seated in the front, just 24 per cent said they consistently buckle up as rear-seat passengers. Despite showing improvement over a comparable 2017 survey, the results indicate that attitudes in the UAE still lag behind much of the rest of the world.

The latest available figures from Abu Dhabi Police indicate that 60 per cent of road fatalities in the emirate are attributable to non-use of seat belts. No UAE-wide federal data are currently available for comparison. In the United States, the equivalent figure stands at 49 per cent, in the European Union it ranges between 25 and 50 per cent; and in the United Kingdom, it is 25 per cent.

Thomas Edelmann, Managing Director of RoadSafetyUAE, underscored the preventable nature of many of these deaths: “Accidents do happen, but the consequences don't need to be fatal or result in severe injuries. Studies show that seat belts reduce fatalities in vehicle accidents by between 45 and 60 per cent, depending on the type of car and the type of impact. For children, this value increases to up to 80 per cent.”

There is cause for cautious optimism. Since seat belt use became mandatory for all vehicle occupants in 2017, public awareness and practice have both improved meaningfully.

The proportion of people who believe seat belts protect drivers rose from 91 per cent in 2017 to 95 per cent today. Actual usage among drivers and front-seat passengers climbed from 78 per cent to 86 per cent, an eight-percentage-point increase.

Technology is already beginning to play a part. Dr Youssef El Hansali, CEO of Vitronic Middle East, highlighted the potential of automated solutions: "The enforcement of seat belt laws plays a crucial role in promoting road safety awareness. To support this, VITRONIC has developed an automated seat belt detection system that enhances safety while significantly reducing the manpower required by enforcement agencies."

Despite this progress, industry voices are calling for considerably more to be done.

“All stakeholders must focus on increasing seat belt wearing rates, as this is the single biggest opportunity we have to reduce the number of fatalities on UAE roads. Despite the fact that public understanding of the protective powers of the seat belt is reasonably high, usage figures are not where the law mandates them to be. The focus must be on generating and publishing up-to-date figures about fatalities and injuries linked to non-wearing of seat belts. Strong awareness initiatives are needed, as well as ever-increasing enforcement efforts by means of sophisticated radar installations and the utilisation of AI,” stated Edelman.