Boise doctor says pickup truck riders are less likely to wear seat belts

The Idaho Transportation Department reported that seat belt use among pickup truck occupants remains lower than in cars, vans, and SUVs. A review of the agency's 2025 and 2026 observational surveys indicates that pickup drivers are nearly twice as likely to ride without a belt compared to occupants of other vehicle types. The department estimates that 83.2% of pickup truck occupants wore seat belts in 2026, a figure that contrasts with the 91.2% rate found among those in cars, vans, and SUVs.

Kennedy Littledike experienced the consequences of not buckling up during a May 2021 rollover crash near Declo. The 16-year-old was hanging from a power line by her broken leg after a four-mile drive. The accident resulted in repeated surgeries, the loss of much of her leg, and nerve damage that paralyzed her arm. Littledike noted that she grew up in a household where seat belts were not consistently used.

"I used to not wear seat belts just because I was kind of raised that way," Littledike told The Arbiter. "My parents never wore seat belts." She added that living in the country was not an excuse, but she did not know better at the time. Five years later, she now requires herself and her passengers to wear restraints and limits distractions while driving.

Ethan Taub, the medical director of trauma at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise, explained that the primary function of a seat belt is to keep occupants inside the vehicle's protective structure. He warned that the risk of catastrophic injury increases dramatically once a person is ejected. "The belt's most important job is to keep you inside the protective structure of the vehicle," Taub said. "Once you're ejected, the risk of catastrophic injury and death goes up dramatically."

Statewide, estimated belt use rose from 87% to 88.9% in the 2026 survey. The survey observed 29,134 drivers and passengers in front outboard seats. The statewide estimate includes a 95% confidence interval ranging from 87.6% to 90.3%. While observational surveys measure behavior on the road, crash records provide data on fatalities. In 2025, about 41% of the 169 passenger vehicle occupants ages 7 and older killed in collisions were wearing seat belts, according to the ITD's annual crash report.

The Idaho Transportation Department's public outreach initiative, SHIFT Idaho, targets young men ages 16 to 30, pickup drivers, and rural drivers as high-risk groups. Christina Straub, a grants officer with Idaho's Office of Highway Safety, participated in a Community Voices discussion in the Magic Valley with roughly 12 to 15 people. Participants cited discomfort, short trips, and habit as reasons for not wearing belts. Straub noted that every participant who admitted to not wearing a belt knew someone who had been injured in a crash.

Josephine Middleton, highway safety manager with the Office of Highway Safety, said limited funding prevents the office from running year-round campaigns dedicated solely to seat belts. The office is working to bolster law enforcement activities, including high-visibility patrols for the Click It or Ticket campaign. Middleton said the office also partners with local communities to develop safety messages, though survey results alone cannot measure the specific impact of any single campaign.

Littledike continues to manage nerve pain and has spent the last year and a half relearning daily tasks with one arm. She has since regained some function in her arm but still performs most activities with one hand. She is currently training for a HYROX fitness competition and is considering a marathon, testing her physical limits after the crash.