Country drivers twice as likely to not wear a seatbelt

Published date: 26 Aug 2026

The Transport Accident Commission (TAC) is urging rural Victorians to take safety seriously, after new TAC research revealed they are more than twice as likely to drive without wearing a seatbelt compared to Melbourne motorists.

The latest TAC Road Safety Monitor, an annual survey of more than 2400 Victorian licence holders, found 6.7 per cent of rural drivers admitted to driving while not wearing a seatbelt in the past 12 months, compared to just 2.8 per cent of drivers in major urban areas, including Melbourne and major regional cities such as Geelong and Ballarat.

The gap has widened since 2022, when six per cent of rural drivers reported travelling unbuckled, while major urban rates have stayed comparatively low. Passengers were also more likely to self-report travelling without a seatbelt at 4.7 per cent in major urban areas.

Wearing a seatbelt reduces the risk of death in a crash by up to 50 per cent for front seat occupants, and up to 75 per cent for those in the back seat, making it one of the simplest and most effective road safety measures available.

The risks associated with not wearing a seatbelt are heightened in rural areas -- where motorists are more likely to drive heavy vehicles and travel longer distances on higher speed roads. The survey showed 17 per cent of rural respondents drove a heavy vehicle in the past 12 months, compared to just 3 per cent of those in major urban areas.

The survey also found drivers who do not consistently wear a seatbelt are also significantly more likely to engage in other high-risk behaviours such as speeding, drink driving and fatigue, than those who buckled up every trip.

Separate TAC research in 2023 showed the common reasons given by motorists for travelling without a seatbelt included forgetting to put it on, taking it off briefly to perform a specific manoeuvre such as parking, and moving a parked vehicle a short distance.

The TAC Road Safety Monitor provides critical insights into driver behaviour and community attitudes, helping guide enforcement efforts, policy and campaigns aimed at reducing deaths and serious injuries on regional Victorian roads. Insights from the full TAC Road Safety Monitor report can be found here: www.tac.vic.gov.au/road-safety/statistics/about-tac-surveys/road-safety-and-marketing-surveys

Quotes attributable to Minister for Roads and Road Safety, Paul Hamer

“It takes two seconds to put on a seatbelt, but for too many Victorians, that simple habit isn’t sticking and the consequences can be devastating.”

“Whether it’s a short trip down the road or a long haul on the highway, buckling up every time is one of the easiest ways country drivers and passengers can protect themselves and their loved ones.”

Quotes attributable to Transport Accident Commission (TAC) CEO, Tracey Slatter

"Every Victorian deserves to get home safely, yet we're seeing too many people in regional areas taking a risk that can have devastating consequences."

“These findings reinforce the need to keep encouraging every Victorian tobuckle up, every trip, every time.”