00371858

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It is estimated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that 12,000 or more of the traffic crash deaths that occurred in the United States in 1979 might have been prevented if the victims had been using safety belts. Crash studies indicate that the lap and shoulder belt combination, now standard equipment in most automobiles, is about 60 percent effective in preventing fatalities. Surveys indicate, however, that only about 14 percent of drivers and a smaller percentage of passengers take the precaution of securing their safety belts while traveling in motor vehicles. In response to this problem, Congress mandated in the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1978 that a study be conducted of methods to encourage increased use of safety belts by drivers of and passengers in motor vehicles. The study was conducted by the Transportation Research Board. This report contains the major findings and recommendations of the study. It summarizes a review of previously completed studies dealing with evaluation of the effectiveness of programs designed to promote safety belt use, an examination of prescriptive approaches involving legislation and regulation, and a discussion of economic incentives as a motivating factor to encourage increased belt use. Child-passenger-restraint laws, judicial influences, health-care programs, insurance premiums, employer-employee programs, and governmental activities are among the subjects addressed in the study. New strategies are recommended through which Congress and various federal agencies could help mobilize a national commitment to safety belt use. (Author)

96th Congress, 2nd Session Report No. 96-40. Research sponsored by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

HS-030 035

9 p.

1980-3

Transportation Research Board Unpublished Report

References (26)

Child restraint systems; Incentives; Insurance; Laws; Manual safety belts; Motivation; Regulations; Utilization

Increase

Highways; Law; Research; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor

HSL, TRIS, TRB

Apr 29 1983 12:00AM