Posted June 1, 2026 10:58 am.
The Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) is marking 50 years since seat belts became mandatory in the province, highlighting their role in reducing road fatalities and renewing efforts to encourage compliance among motorists.
Since 1976, seat belt use has become widespread across Quebec, but the agency says that nearly one-third of occupants killed in passenger vehicle collisions are still not buckled up each year. The requirement was extended to backseat passengers in 1990.
SAAQ estimates that approximately 4,500 deaths could have been prevented since 1976 if all vehicle occupants had worn seat belts.
“Even though much progress has been made, the numbers speak for themselves. Every person who doesn’t buckle up is taking far too great a risk,” said SAAQ president and CEO Serge Lamontagne. “To mark this 50th anniversary, we will continue our awareness efforts across our various platforms over the next month to show the concrete consequences of not wearing a seat belt.”
The agency says long-term collaboration with Quebec police forces, along with collision report analysis, has helped track changes in seat belt use over time.
The rate of non-use in fatal collisions has dropped significantly over the past 50 years, from 73 per cent in 1978 to 28 per cent in 2025. Roadside surveys show overall compliance has risen from 50 per cent in the early 1980s to 98 per cent in 2022.
