THE SEAT BELT USE LAW IN ONTARIO, CANADA; INITIAL EFFECTS ON ACTUAL USE

Belt use by drivers and passengers in automobiles was observed during three periods in relation to a mandatory belt use law in Ontario, Canada: 1. December, 1975--the month before the law went in force; 2. February, 1976--the second month the law was in force, and; 3. June, 1976--after the law had been in force more than five months. Although an increase from 23 percent driver lap belt use in December to 75 percent use in February was found, by June, only 51 percent of drivers were using available lap belts. Shoulder belt use by drivers and right front passengers in cars equipped with such belts was 17 percent in December, 65 percent in February and 36 percent in June. While representing some progress in vehicle occupant crash protection, belts and laws requiring their use are not adequate as solutions to the problem of the deaths and nonfatal injuries endemic to motor vehicle travel. /Author/

• Corporate Authors:

  Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

  1005 North Glebe Road
  Arlington, VA  United States  22201
• Authors:
  • Robertson, L S
• Publication Date: 1976-6

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: 16 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Drivers; Fatalities; Injuries; Laws; Manual safety belts; Passengers; Safety; Traffic crashes
• Uncontrolled Terms: Motor vehicle accidents
• Subject Areas: Highways; Law; Passenger Transportation; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00142004
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Highway Safety Research Institute
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 4 1977 12:00AM