NRMA SURVEY: AVAILABILITY, WEARING AND ADJUSTMENT OF SEAT BELTS 1988
The overall proportion of adults adequately protected by seat belts is gradually increasing. However, the rate of increase has slowed considerably. This survey assesses the use of seat belts by adults in motor vehicles at eight locations throughout the Sydney metropolitan area. The results have been compared with those obtained in the November 1986 survey. While the overall proportion of adults adequately protected increased two percentage points over the two years between surveys, there is concern that the proportion of rear seat passengers adequately protected has declined to an alarming level -59 per cent of back seat passengers were observed not wearing available seat belts. This result highlights the need for public information and education to reveal the dangers of travelling unrestrained even in rear seating compartments of vehicles. A significant feature of this survey and past seat belt wearing surveys is the high proportion of adults adequately protected by available inertia reel seat belts. However, the inertia reel wearing rate in this current survey has remained reasonably stable at 90.1 per cent. At the same time less than half of the available static seat belts were being worn correctly adjusted. Educational campaigns should strongly emphasise the importance of correctly adjusting seat belts and work should be expanded on design improvements to increase wearer comfort. Instances were observed where seat belts were loosely adjusted, twisted, fed under the arm instead of across the shoulder or just held instead of secured. There is also a call for continued research into public attitudes towards seat belt wearing (a).
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Corporate Authors:
NATIONAL ROADS AND MOTORISTS' ASSOCIATION
151 CLARENCE STREET
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia -
Authors:
- BOOTH, M
- Publication Date: 1988-11
Media Info
- Pagination: 26 p.
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Adjustment factors; Adults; Data collection; Education; Equipment maintenance; Manual safety belts; Passengers; Publicity; Seat belts; Seats; Urban areas; Vehicle rear end; Vehicles
- Uncontrolled Terms: Equipment adjustment; Front; Rear; Use
- Geographic Terms: Australia
- ITRD Terms: 3816: Adjustment; 1747: Adult; 8006: Australia; 8623: Data acquisition; 2284: Education; 9025: Front; 8573: Publicity; 9067: Rear; 1476: Safety belt; 1388: Seat (veh); 313: Urban area; 9084: Use; 1255: Vehicle; 1715: Vehicle occupant
- Subject Areas: Maintenance and Preservation; Passenger Transportation; Vehicles and Equipment;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00499439
- Record Type: Publication
- Source Agency: ARRB
- Files: ITRD, TRIS, ATRI
- Created Date: Sep 30 1990 12:00AM