With more than three months left in 2026, motor vehicle crashes have killed 75 people in the state, including more than two dozen people who were not wearing a seat belt or were riding a motorcycle without a helmet, a N.H. Department of Safety report released last week said.

New Hampshire law doesn’t require adults to use seat belts or helmets, but Nelson Police Chief Joseph Filipi and other law enforcement officials encourage their use.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says use of seat belts in the front seat of a passenger car reduces the risk of fatal injury by 45 percent. Use of a helmet reduces the risk of a fatal injury by 37 percent for operators and 41 percent for passengers, according to the National Safety Council.