EARLY RESULTS OF SEAT BELT LEGISLATION IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

The study which documented the impact of laws requiring the wearing of seat belts, included the analysis of (1) changes in belt use rates observed on the highways among those required by law to use belts; (2) changes in non-fatal and fatal motor vehicle crash injuries among those required by law to use belts; and (3) changes in observed belt use, fatal and non-fatal motor vehicle crash injuries among those not required by law to use belts. It was found that belt use changed markedly with onset of the law in virtually every state reporting, but use in several states is not as high as 50%, thus limiting the casualty reduction benefit that can be expected. Differential use is seen related to sex, vehicle type, etc., which has implications for enforcement and promotional efforts. The document also discusses the fatal crash data from eight seat belt law states compared to all other non-law states.

• Corporate Authors:

  University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

  Highway Safety Research Center
  Chapel Hill, NC  United States  27599
• Authors:
  • Campbell, B J
  • Stewart, J R
  • Campbell, F A
• Publication Date: 1986-7

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 25 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automobiles by type; Fatalities; Gender; Impact studies; Injuries; Laws; Manual safety belts; Traffic crashes; Utilization
• Uncontrolled Terms: Enforcement; Vehicle type
• Subject Areas: Highways; Law; Research; Safety and Human Factors; Society; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00460017
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-039 872
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 30 1990 12:00AM