2006 Seat Belt Use Estimate for Native American Tribal Reservations

NHTSA - Behavioral Safety Researchhttps://doi.org/10.21949/15256372008PDFStatistical ReportChaffe, Robert H. B.Solomon, M. G. (Mark Geoffrey)Leaf, W. A.Preusser Research Group, Inc.United States. National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationUnited States. National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationUnited StatesManual safety beltsIndian reservationsDOT-HS-810-967DTNH22-05-D-15043Siegler, JohnFinal reportThe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Indian Highway Safety Program, sponsored a project in fall 2004 to (a) establish the first baseline tribal reservation seat belt use rate, and (b) develop a methodology to use in the future to track trends and specific program effects. The planned sample included 18 reservations with 150 sites on these reservations. Ultimately, data were collected from 120 sites on 16 tribal reservations. A subsequent and comparable survey was requested by NHTSA for fall 2006. Seat belt use was observed between September and December 2006 on 15 reservations and in March 2007 on one reservation. For the tribal reservations subject to tribal law and tribal traffic law enforcement, excluding the Navajo Nation, the overall seat belt use rate was 61.8%. When results from the 2004 study are compared to the present study, there was a statistically significant increase in seat belt use. There was a very high variation in belt use across reservations, ranging from a low of 27.7% to a high of 87.8%. Nine tribal reservations had primary seat belt laws; in them, 73.1% of vehicle occupants were belted. By comparison, three tribal reservations had secondary belt laws; they averaged 59.3% belt use. For the four tribal reservations with no belt use law of any kind, only 37.2% of the vehicle occupants were belted. Tribal policy and procedures are likely responsible for current levels of seat belt use and can be most effective in establishing and improving seat belt usage levels.129