THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SAFETY BELTS IN PREVENTING FATALITIES

The effectiveness of safety belts in preventing fatalities to drivers and right front passengers is estimated by applying the double pair comparison method to 1974 or later model year cars coded in the Fatal Accident Reporting System. The method focuses on 'subject' occupants (drivers or right front passengers) and 'other' occupants (any except the subject occupant). Fatality risks to belted and unbelted subject occupants are compared using the other occupant to estimate exposure. In this study, drivers and right front passengers are subject occupants; choosing other occupants differing in age, seating positions, and belt use, generated 46 essentialy independent estimates of safety belt effectiveness. The weighted average and standard error of these is (41 plus or minus 4)%. This finding agrees with the 40%-50% range reported in a recent major review and synthesis by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Combining this with the present determination gives (43 plus or minus 3)% ; that is, if all presently unbelted drivers and right front passengers were to use the provided three point lap shoulder belt, but not otherwise change their behavior, fatalities to this group would decline by (43 plus or minus 3)%.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00014575
• Corporate Authors:

  Pergamon Press, Incorporated

  Headington Hill Hall
  Oxford OX30BW,    
• Authors:
  • Evans, Leonard
• Publication Date: 1986-6

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 229-241
• Serial:
  • Accident Analysis & Prevention
  • Volume: 18
  • Issue Number: 3
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 0001-4575
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00014575

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Fatalities; Hazards; Manual safety belts; Prevention; Risk assessment; Vehicle occupants
• Subject Areas: Passenger Transportation; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00495927
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-039 950
• Files: HSL, USDOT
• Created Date: Aug 31 1990 12:00AM