LIFE SAVING POTENTIAL OF GREATER SAFETY BELT USAGE

The two purposes of this report are the following: (1) to describe and document a standardized procedure for examining the effect of safety belt usage upon traffic fatalities in the United States and (2) to make estimates for calendar year 1975 based on the above procedure and the fatal accident reporting system file (FARS). In the year 1975 traffic fatalities would have been 12.88% higher had there been no seat belt usage. In comparison to a zero percent usage rate fatalities would have been reduced 26.32% if seat belt usage had been 60%; fatalities would have been reduced 35.05% if seat belt usage had been 80%; and fatalities would have been reduced 43.78% if seat belt usage had been 100%. In the year 1975 traffic fatalities could have been reduced from the number of estimated actual fatalities by 16.83% had there been 60% seat belt usage, by 26.68% had there been 80% seat belt usage, and by 36.54% had there been 100% seat belt usage. /Author/

Media Info

  • Features: Figures; References; Tables;
  • Pagination: 33 p.

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00178724
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Source Agency: National Safety Council Safety Research Info Serv
  • Report/Paper Numbers: DOT-HS-801871, Tech. Note N43-31
  • Files: NTL, TRIS, USDOT
  • Created Date: Jul 29 1978 12:00AM