Driver Seat Belt Use Research Articles

Factors associated with rear seating of children in motor vehicles: a study in two low-income, predominantly Hispanic communities

This study examined child seating patterns in two predominantly low-income, Hispanic communities in Massachusetts. The purpose was to determine the factors associated with child rear seating in the community as a whole and for a subset of Hispanic motorists. Five hundred and five vehicles carrying child passengers and no adult other than the driver were observed in parking lots of fast food restaurants and grocery stores. Four hundred and thirty-two vehicle drivers agreed to be interviewed. A child was defined as a passenger younger than age 12 as determined by appearance and height (head below the vehicle headrest when seated). Variables under study included driver gender, age, ethnicity, and educational attainment; driver shoulder belt use; driver perception of passenger-side airbag presence; and the number and ages of children in the car. Overall, 51% of vehicles were observed with all children seated in the rear. In a bivariate analysis, child rear seating was strongly associated with female drivers ( P=0.01), younger drivers ( P=0.02), driver shoulder belt use ( P<0.00), perceived presence of a passenger-side airbag ( P<0.00), all children in the vehicle ≤6 years old ( P<0.00), and fewer than three children in the vehicle ( P<0.00). Non-Hispanic ethnicity was weakly associated with child rear seating ( P=0.09). In the multivariate analysis, only the association between child rear seating and all children in the vehicle ≤6 years old remained strong (RR 2.4, 95% CI 1.7–3.3). Factors associated with rear seating were similar between Hispanic and non-Hispanic motorists. Controlling for other factors, the presence of a passenger-side airbag appeared to be more strongly associated with rear seating among non-Hispanics compared to Hispanics (RR 1.5 versus 1.1). Fewer Hispanic motorists drove vehicles with all children in the rear compared with the non-Hispanic motorists (48% versus 56%); this difference appears to be associated with the finding that fewer Hispanic drivers wore their seat belt. For both Hispanic and non-Hispanic motorists, efforts to increase child rear seating should focus on older children, male drivers, and on increasing general motor vehicle safety behavior (e.g. seat belt use). Messages should be culturally appropriate and should emphasize driver seat belt use in conjunction with rear seating and the importance of rear seating regardless of the presence of a passenger-side airbag.

Seatbelt use by high school students

Objective: To determine seatbelt use of teenage drivers arriving at high schools in the morning and at evening football games compared with belt use of adults driving teenage passengers to...

Seatbelt legislation in Japan: high risk driver mortality and seatbelt use

Objectives: To clarify why seatbelt legislation did not achieve the expected reduction in mortality in Japan. Location and background: Seatbelt legislation was enacted in Japan in September 1985 and penalties...

Effectiveness of Ford’s belt reminder system in increasing seat belt use

Objectives: The study investigated the effectiveness in increasing seat belt use of Ford’s belt reminder system, a supplementary system that provides intermittent flashing lights and chimes for five minutes if...

Seatbelt use and belief in destiny among Hispanic and non-Hispanic drivers

In order to determine if fatalism is associated with seatbelt use, 312 drivers were recruited from convenience stores located within 12 randomly generated zip-code areas along the Texas–Mexico border. The seatbelt use of drivers was recorded unobtrusively; self-reported seatbelt use and belief in destiny (fatalism) were subsequently obtained by interview. The majority of respondents rejected a fatalistic orientation, although Hispanic drivers were significantly less likely to do so. Fatalism was not associated with observed seatbelt use. Our results suggest that ethnic differences in seatbelt use are not due to ethnic differences in fatalism. These findings have implications for developing health interventions in Hispanic and non-Hispanic communities.

Seat belt use among drinking drivers in Minnesota.

Among the reasons cited for recent declines in alcohol-related traffic fatalities is the enactment of seat belt use laws by most states. It is suspected that drinking drivers are less likely to comply with such laws, although evidence on the relationship between belt use and drinking by drivers is sparse and conflicting. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of drinking to driver seat belt use. Observational, self-report, and chemical breath test data were collected on nighttime drivers in 16 Minnesota communities during September, 1990. Drivers with an illegal blood alcohol concentration (> or = 100 mg/dL) were substantially less likely to be wearing a seat belt (odds ratio [OR] = 2.17). Belt use was also more common among females (OR = 2.02) and before midnight (OR = 1.47). Males who had been drinking were less likely to be belted. Belt use was related to drinking before, but not after, midnight. Belt use was not related to drinking status among college graduates, but it was strongly related to drinking status among those with less education. The present findings provide further argument for rapid implementation of passive countermeasures (airbags) and for development of creative, carefully focused interventions to target high-risk populations.

Effectiveness of feedback and education in an employment based seat belt program

A 6 week employment based seat belt program, without incentives, was evaluated to determine if it would increase the seat belt use of employees in an area with seat belt legislation. The program included obtrusive seat belt use monitoring, a feedback sign, an educational presentation, displays, and supportive memos from management. Seat belt use observations were made on a daily basis at the program site and at a control site for a 3 week baseline period, during the program, and at 2 week intervals for 6 weeks following the conclusion of the program. Analysis of the seat belt data indicated that a statistically reliable increase in the seat belt use of drivers and passengers occurred as a result of the program. Belt use for drivers increased from 65 to 82%, and for passengers from 46 to 76%. A decline in belt use was observed during the follow-up period, but it remained higher than during the baseline period. Results from questionnaires distributed to employees before and after the program indicated that attitudes towards seat belts changed very little. The results demonstrated that a seat belt program, conducted in the work place without incentives, can significantly increase seat belt use. Implications of the findings for future research are discussed.(A)

Passenger car size and driver seat belt use.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) claims, on the basis of survey results, that seat belt use in small cars is twice as high as in large cars. The agency interprets this as being due in part to perceptions of higher risk by small car occupants. In fact, little is known about the factors motivating belt use, including whether risk perception is important. A reanalysis of the NHTSA data indicates that most of the differences in belt use by car size can be explained by higher use in imported cars, and by geographical differences in belt use in domestic cars.

Voluntary seat belt use among high school students

Seat belt use of high school drivers was observed at six high schools in Maryland and for comparison, at locations near each school. Use rates for high school drivers ranged from one percent to 21%, varying with socioeconomic status of the areas in which the schools were located. For non-high school drivers the range was 8–31%. For the six schools, the ranking of use rates from lowest to highest was the same for high school and non-high school drivers. However, at each school, belt use rates for high school drivers were lower than for non-high school drivers. At five of the schools, use rates for non-high school drivers were more than double the rates for high school drivers: they were more than five times as high at three schools. Prior research indicates that increasing the use of belts that must be manually fastened is difficult to achieve. The most reliable way substantial increases can be made in the extent to which teenagers and others are restrained in crashes is by providing restraints that work automatically, such as air bags.

Seat belt use in Ontario four years after mandating legislation

An observational survey was conducted on 11.961 vehicles in Southern Ontario to determine car driver seat belt use. Major variables included geographical location, road type. sex of driver and size of vehicle. Overall usage rate was 48.6% and was higher in the large city and higher for expressways than non-expressways. Seat belt use was inversely related to car size across all survey sites and geographical locations. Sex differences in usage rates were found to interact with variables of geographical location and road type.

Child safety programs: implications affecting use of child restraints.

Automobile deaths have been identified as the leading cause of death for children between the ages of one and fourteen. Those children who are unrestrained as passengers are at particularly high risk to injury and death. School health and safety programs need to include an understanding of this problem and implement efforts to increase restraint usage. A study of parental seatbelt and child passenger restraint use was conducted to identify frequency of use and behavioral and attitudinal factors influencing use of child restraints. Self-reported data of driver seatbelt use at all times was 19.0%, and the use of a child restraining device was 49.6%. Data recorded in a previous observational study noted a driver seatbelt usage rate of 14.2% and use of a child restraining device at 25.6%. Major reasons for non-use of seatbelts by drivers included discomfort and restricted movement. Reasons for non-use of child restraints focused upon the dislike and discomfort of the child for the restraint.