SHOULDER HARNESS USAGE IN THE POPULATION OF DRIVERS AT RISK IN NORTH CAROLINA

Shoulder harness usage rates based on observations of vehicles in North Carolina in the summer of 1971 are reported. Tabulations of usage rates based on 19,338 observations are presented on a variety of demographic and environmental factors. A model of usage patterns is developed using a method of analysis of categorical data by linear models. The clusters derived with the highest predicted usage rates (33.3%) were foreign car drivers from out-of-state on Interstates, mature and older white male out-of-state drivers of foreign cars on rural noninterstate roads and young white male out-of-state foreign car drivers on rural four- lane divided highways. Values of variables which most consistently positively influenced usage rates were rural, foreign car, road size, and males. The overall usage rate is 4.8 percent with the males' rate being 5.4 percent and females' rate 3.2 percent. The influence on usage rate of 3-point versus 4-point shoulder harness systems in U.S. cars is examined with no real difference demonstrated. The effect of drivers' usage patterns on passenger versus behavior is discussed and a usage rate of 51.1 percent for passengers whose drivers were wearing shoulder harnesses is reported.

• Corporate Authors:

  University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

  Highway Safety Research Center
  Chapel Hill, NC  United States  27599
• Authors:
  • Freeman, J L
  • KOCH, G G
  • Hunter, W W
  • Lacey, J H
• Publication Date: 1975-4

Media Info

• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: 115 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Demographics; Drivers; Environmental impacts; Foreign automobiles; Hazards; Human characteristics; Linear systems; Males; Risk assessment; Rural highways; Shoulder harnesses
• Uncontrolled Terms: Driver characteristics
• Old TRIS Terms: Foreign vehicles; Male drivers; Shoulder harness
• Subject Areas: Environment; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00133561
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Highway Safety Research Institute
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Dec 15 1976 12:00AM