Automotive Safety Merit Badge History

Earned through 1981141,595

Best year197416,735 earned

All-time popularity#130official, as of 2020#133by 2025 (estimate)

Earned by Year

First earned in 1962. Peak year 1974 with 16,735. Hover over or tap a year for its numbers.

19624,135 earned#59 of 101

19635,429 earned#51 of 102

19646,501 earned#51 of 107

19656,864 earned#49 of 109

19667,201 earned#46 of 110

19678,845 earned#47 of 112

19688,619 earned#47 of 112

19699,458 earned#47 of 113

197010,296 earned#44 of 113

19719,753 earned#44 of 113

19729,202 earned#50 of 124

19739,784 earned#48 of 122

197416,735 earned#44 of 121

197514,087 earned#51 of 128

19767,764 earned#64 of 130

19774,211 earned#80 of 130

19782,557 earned#91 of 131

197964 earned#121 of 132

198029 earned#124 of 132

198161 earned#123 of 134

"#123 of 134" means the badge was number 123 of the 134 merit badges earned that year. The 2025 all-time place is an estimate, because the counts for 2021 to 2025 are worked out from each year's official ranking and the total number of merit badges earned that year.

19624,135#59 of 101

19635,429#51 of 102

19646,501#51 of 107

19656,864#49 of 109

19667,201#46 of 110

19678,845#47 of 112

19688,619#47 of 112

19699,458#47 of 113

197010,296#44 of 113

19719,753#44 of 113

19729,202#50 of 124

19739,784#48 of 122

197416,735#44 of 121

197514,087#51 of 128

19767,764#64 of 130

19774,211#80 of 130

19782,557#91 of 131

197964#121 of 132

198029#124 of 132

198161#123 of 134

Grand total through 1981:

This page keeps growing. More of this badge's history, including its patches and pamphlets, is being checked and will be added once it is confirmed.

Automotive Safety: workbook data

Printings (13)

Have	Year	Month	Cover	Back	Run	©	BSA #	HC
x	1962	October	6A	back-6f	15M	1962	3305A	HCJV2
	1963	not made
x	1964	January	6B	back-6g	10M	1962	3305A	HCJV2, HCK
x	1964	August	6B	back-6h	7.5M	1962	3305	HCK
x	1965	August	6B	back-6h	10M	1962	3305	HCL, HCQ
	1966	not made
x	1967	January	7A-1	back-7	8M		3305
x	1967	November	7A-1	back-7	9M		3305
x	1968	October	7A-1	back-7	10M		3305	HCL, HCN
x	1969	May	7A-1	back-7	13M		3305	HCL
	1970	not made
x	1971	January	7A-2	back-7	10M		3305	HCM
x	1972	January	7A-2	back-7	10M		3305
x	1973	May	8	back-8a	8M		3305	HCS
x	1973	November	8	back-8a	10M		3305	HCT
x	1974	April	8	back-8b	5M		3305

Earned and rank by year

Year	Earned	Rank	Of
1962	4,135	59	101
1963	5,429	51	102
1964	6,501	51	107
1965	6,864	49	109
1966	7,201	46	110
1967	8,845	47	112
1968	8,619	47	112
1969	9,458	47	113
1970	10,296	44	113
1971	9,753	44	113
1972	9,202	50	124
1973	9,784	48	122
1974	16,735	44	121
1975	14,087	51	128
1976	7,764	64	130
1977	4,211	80	130
1978	2,557	91	131
1979	64	121	132
1980	29	124	132
1981	61	123	134