Direct observation of safety belt use in Michigan : Fall 1999

796964Final 4/1/99 - 11/30/99PDFResearch PaperHS-042 944UMTRI-99-33OP-99-03Seat beltsManual safety beltsTraffic safetyTraffic law enforcementSurveysAge groupsAutomobilesPickup trucksSport utility vehiclesVansMichiganUniversity of Michigan. Transportation Research InstituteEby, David W.Vivoda, Jonathon M.Fordyce, Tiffani A.NTL-SAFETY AND SECURITY-Highway SafetyBTS Data DirectoryReported here are the results of a direct observation survey of safety belt use conducted in the fall of 1999. In this study, 9,414 occupants traveling in four vehicle types (passenger cars, sport-utility vehicles, vans/minivans, and pickup trucks) were surveyed during September 2 to October 8, 1999. Belt use was estimated for all commercial/noncommercial vehicle types combined (the statewide safety belt use rate) and separately for each vehicle type. Within and across each vehicle type, belt use by age, sex, road type, day of week, time of day, and seating position were calculated. Statewide belt use was 70.1%. When compared with last year's rate, this year's estimated use rate shows that safety belt use in Michigan has remained about the same over the past year. Belt use was 74.8% for passenger cars, 70.2% for sport-utility vehicles, 73.6% for vans/minivans, and 53.7% for pickup trucks. For all vehicle types, belt use was higher for females than for males and higher for drivers than for passengers. In general, belt use was high during the morning commute, and belt use did not vary systematically by time of day, day of week, or weather conditions. Survey results suggest that maintenance of effective public information and education programs, increased enforcement of secondary belt use laws, implementation of primary (standard) enforcement of mandatory safety belt use, and targeting programs at low use populations could be effective in increasing safety belt use in Michigan and in helping Michigan reach the national and state belt use standards set for the years 2000 and 2005