RURAL COMMUNITY SEAT BELT PROJECT. FINAL REPORT

National Fatal Accident Reporting System data show that 58 percent of fatalities occur on rural roads (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1988). Road characteristics such as narrow lane widths or unsafe shoulders create a more hazardous rural driving environment. Travel speeds are higher and response times longer for emergency vehicles that serve larger rural territories. Belt effectiveness in reducing deaths is in the range of 40 to 50 percent, and research indicates that with full compliance, belts are capable of producing a much greater casualty reduction that what is currently being observed. This project attempted to identify characteristics that contribute to low belt use in rural areas. A series of written questionnaires were administered to rural populations to obtain this information. In addition, the project provided a rural community with a grant to assist with the implementation of a community safety belt program based on the information from the surveys.

• Corporate Authors:

  University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

  Highway Safety Research Center
  Chapel Hill, NC  United States  27599
• Authors:
  • MARCHETTI, L M
  • Hall, W L
  • Stewart, J R
• Publication Date: 1990-12

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 46 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Community action programs; Data collection; Fatalities; Manual safety belts; Motor vehicles; Questionnaires; Rural areas; Rural highways; Speed; Surveys; Traffic speed
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00610858
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: HSRC-PR171
• Contract Numbers: 90-06-LE-304-10
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 31 1991 12:00AM