2000 Safety Belt Usage Survey in Kentucky

The objective of this study was to establish 2000 safety belt and child safety seat usage rates in Kentucky. The 2000 survey continues to document the results after enactment of a statewide mandatory safety belt law in 1994. Data were collected at 200 randomly selected sites spread across Kentucky. Data from the individual sites were combined into a statewide percentage considering function classification, geographic region, and vehicle miles traveled. The data show that the usage rate increase found in 1999, after a few years where the rate had remained at a stable level, continued in 2000 to a smaller degree. The usage rate for front seat occupants was 60 percent in 2000 compared to 59 percent in 1999, 54 percent in 1998, 1997 and 1995, 55 percent in 1996, and 58 percent in 1994. The current usage is substantially above the 1993 level, prior to enactment of the statewide law, of 42 percent. The 2000 statewide usage rate for children under the age of four was determined to be 87 percent. This continues the high rate found for this age category and compares to the high of 89 percent in 1999. The statewide law, except for children, involves secondary enforcement. The higher rate for children could partially be related to primary enforcement. To obtain the maximum possible increase in usage, the current law should be modified to allow primary, rather than secondary, enforcement for all vehicle occupants. As a minimum, primary enforcement should apply to drivers while they are in the permit and intermediate phase of the graduated license program