USE OF SAFETY BELTS IN KENTUCKY

The use and effectiveness of safety belts in Kentucky are examined, and factors that affect their use are identified. Data were obtained from three sources: field observations, accident reports, and a questionnaire. Kentucky drivers and passengers were found to have lower rates of safety-belt use (slightly less than 10 percent) than drivers and passengers in other states. The accident data showed that safety belts reduced the chance of being killed by a factor of six and the chance of being severely injured by a factor of two. Several factors were found to have significant effects on the use of safety belts. Safety-belt use was higher among drivers who were over 25 years of age, those who had a college education, and those driving in newer and/or out-of-state automobiles, on Interstates and parkways, and in large cities. The driving records of drivers who wore safety belts were found to be better than the records of those who did not wear safety belts. In regard to a law making the use of safety belts mandatory, it was found that approximately one-third of the drivers were in favor, one-third were neutral, and one-third were against such a law.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1979/739/739-004.pdf
• Record URL:
  https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=USE+OF+SAFETY+BELTS+IN+KENTUCKY&author=K.+Agent&author=M.+Barclay&author=R.+Deen&publication_year=1979
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• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Vehicle User Characteristics. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

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• Authors:
  • Agent, Kenneth R
  • Barclay, Michael
  • Deen, Robert C
• Publication Date: 1979

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 14-21
• Monograph Title: DRIVER PERFORMANCE, PASSENGER SAFETY DEVICES, AND THE BICYCLIST
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 739
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crash severity; Data collection; Drivers; Injuries; Laws; Manual safety belts; Measures of effectiveness; Passengers; Questionnaires
• Uncontrolled Terms: Effectiveness
• Geographic Terms: Kentucky
• Subject Areas: Highways; Law; Passenger Transportation; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00315353
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309029953
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-029 542
• Files: HSL, TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Sep 16 1984 12:00AM