2012 Safety Belt Usage Survey in Kentucky

Abstract

The objective of this study was to establish 2012 safety belt and child safety seat usage rates in Kentucky. The 2012 survey continues to document the results after enactment of the original secondary enforcement statewide mandatory safety belt law in 1994 and the subsequent change to primary enforcement which was enacted in 2006. The data show that the usage rate in 2012 (83.7%) was an increase of 1.5% from 2011. This continues the increase from 2010 (80.3%) and 2009 (79.7%) and is an increase of about 10% compared to 2008 (73.3%). The usage rate had increased from 67% in 2006 to 72% in 2007 after the enactment of primary enforcement legislation. The rate had increased from 42% in 1993 to 58% in 1994 after enactment of the original mandatory safety belt law. The 2012 statewide usage rate for children under the age of four was determined to be 98%. This continues the very high usage rate for this age category. Usage rates varied as a function of the highway functional classification. The highest rate of 89.9% was on interstates and parkways, with the lowest rate of 76.4% on collector roads. The rate by county varied from a high of 88.7% in Hardin County to a low of 64.5% in Knott County. The usage rate by vehicle type varied from a high of 87.9% for vans to a low of 74.1% for pickup trucks. The statewide usage rate for motorcycle helmets was 53%. This was similar to the 52% in 2011 and 50% in 2010 and was a reduction from 64% in 2009 and 58% in 2008. Observations showed that about 8.9% of the drivers were either talking on their cell phone or keying on their phone, which was almost identical to the 8.6% in 2011.