EVALUATION OF NEW YORK STATE'S MANDATORY OCCUPANT RESTRAINT LAW: VOLUME III OBSERVATIONAL SURVEYS OF SAFETY RESTRAINT USE BY CHILDREN IN NEW YORK STATE. FINAL REPORT

This is the final report on the results of three observational surveys of safety restraint use by children conducted as part of the evaluation of New York's Mandatory Occupant Restraint Law. The law mandates restraint use for all front seat occupants and children under the age of ten, regardless of seating position. The law was implemented on December 1, 1984 and enforcement began on January 1, 1985. Observations were conducted at shopping centers throughout New York State. A baseline survey was conducted in October 1984 followed by post-law surveys in April 1985 and September 1989. Statewide and regional (Upstate, New York City, Long Island) results are presented. After implementation of the Mandatory Occupant Restraint Law, restraint use among children increased. In all surveys, however, restraint use decreased as age increased. In the post-law surveys, restraint use in the front seat was higher than in the back. Drivers' restraint use also increased after the new law. Children were more likely to be restrained if they were riding with drivers who were buckled up. The extension of mandatory restraint use to all front seat occupants and older children resulted in higher usage rates for the younger children covered by earlier legislation as well. The children most at risk were those in the two older age groups (4-6, 7-9 years) riding in the back seat or riding with unrestrained drivers.

• Corporate Authors:

  State University of New York, Albany

  Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research, 80 Wolf Road
  Albany, NY  United States  12205-2604

  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Rood, D H
  • Kraichy, P P
• Publication Date: 1986-2

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: 61 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Before and after studies; Child restraint systems; Children; Data collection; Drivers; Field studies; Front seat occupants; Law enforcement; Laws; Manual safety belts; Rear seat occupants; Restraint systems; Surveys; Utilization
• Geographic Terms: New York (State)
• Old TRIS Terms: Field observation; Occupant restraint
• Subject Areas: Highways; Law; Passenger Transportation; Research; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00491263
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-806 972
• Contract Numbers: DTNH22-84-C-07467
• Files: HSL, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Feb 28 1990 12:00AM