Analyzing seat belt usage from accident data

Abstract

Intensive traffic enforcement has been shown to promote the compliance of roadway motorists and reduce traffic violations. However, prior research on seat belt enforcement has generally neglected the analysis of belt usage in non-fatal accidents, usage by backseat passengers, and usage during nighttime hours. In addition, few studies have examined the effectiveness of blitz campaigns and, to date, none has included usage statistics involving accident victims—individuals at an increased risk of belt non-use. This study sought to include these factors in evaluating whether Ohio’s annual Click It or Ticket seat belt enforcement campaign positively impacted belt use in a 60 day, pretest/post-test experiment over five separate years: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009. Data were collected from all 88 Ohio counties based upon official police reports of seat belt usage by occupants in motor vehicle accidents regardless of crash severity, occupant seating, or time of day. The results indicate that belt usage increased significantly after the 2005 and 2008 campaigns, but no impact was found among the remaining years. In addition, the data suggest that belt usage may have been maintained at optimal levels according to previous research. These findings are discussed along with the possible policy implications of transitioning Ohio to a primary seat belt law State to increase compliance.