Prediction of Rear-Seat-Belt Use among Older Adults

Abstract

The efficacy of rear seat belts in safeguarding both rear- and front-seat passengers is well established; however, the use of rear seat belts in China remains suboptimal. Furthermore, automotive transportation holds significant importance for seniors in China. Consequently, it is necessary to analyze the factors affecting intention to use rear seat belts among Chinese seniors. This study applies the hierarchical regression model to investigate the effects of sociodemographic characteristics and constructs on older adults’ backseat seat-belt use intentions. A questionnaire survey was conducted in Pingdingshan City and 551 valid questionnaires were obtained. Results show that sociodemographic characteristics exhibit a limited influence on the intention to use rear seat belts, accounting for only 16.7% of the variance in intention. However, the incorporation of additional constructs can substantially augment the model’s explanatory capacity. After incorporating the exogenous constructs of the theory of planned behavior, the model’s explanatory power for behavioral intention increased to 46.9%. Subsequently, on the inclusion of susceptibility, severity, perceived benefit, and perceived law enforcement as additional factors, the model’s capacity to account for variance in behavioral intention further improved to 62.7%. Attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, susceptibility, severity, and law enforcement have significant impact on behavioral intention.