More than half of drivers in Ukraine do not use seat belts: study
Kyiv • UNN
In Ukraine, 48.4% of drivers use seat belts, which is an increase compared to last year. Over five years, the share has grown by 86%, and in 10 out of 19 cities, half of drivers are buckled up.
This year, the share of drivers using seat belts was 48.4%. Currently, there is a tendency for this share to increase, and there is hope that next year it will exceed 50%, said Maksym Shulha, an analyst and coordinator of the "For Safe Roads" campaign research, during a briefing, UNN reports.
Details
The level of seat belt use this year was 48.4%. We are seeing a positive trend of increase. Even compared to the previous year (45.97%), there was a slight increase. We very much hope that next year we will cross the 50% threshold.
He also added that over five years of observation (2020-2025), the share of seat belt use among drivers in Ukrainian cities increased by 86%, from 26% to 48.4%.
"In 10 out of 19 surveyed cities, half or most drivers wear seat belts. In 2024, there were eight such cities, and in 2020, none," Shulha emphasized.
At the same time, he stated that despite positive changes, on average, most drivers still do not comply with the requirement of the Traffic Rules regarding mandatory seat belt use.
For reference
The study was conducted by the Center for Democracy and Rule of Law (CEDEM) as part of the "For Safe Roads" campaign. Observations were made at intersections and city streets without interaction with the audience. Drivers did not know they were being observed.
The object of the study was the fact of the presence or absence of a fastened seat belt by car drivers.
This year, the sample consisted of 32,451 drivers, with an average of 1,707 drivers in each city. The geography of the study covered 19 regional centers. Due to hostilities, the study did not cover Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, as well as the temporarily occupied Donetsk, Luhansk, and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. The study was conducted in August 2025.