More than 4 out of 10 teenagers riding in the backseat of a passenger car or taxi do not properly wear seatbelts.

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a survey of 52,938 middle and high school students last year showed that 42.8% of students responded that they "sometimes wear" or "never wear" seatbelts in the backseat of a passenger car or taxi.

The rate of not wearing backseat seatbelts was higher as the students' grades increased.

While the non-wearing rate was 36.0% for first-year middle school students, it reached 49.5% for third-year high school students.

The non-wearing rate for express bus seatbelts stood at 27.0%, which was lower than that of backseats in passenger cars, but slightly higher than the previous year.

The non-wearing rate for front seatbelts in passenger cars recorded 13.0% last year, marking the lowest level ever.

Experts emphasized that people should develop the habit of wearing seatbelts in vehicles regardless of seat location, and that special attention is required for teenagers in the backseats, especially during holidays when long-distance travel is frequent.