United States Department of Transportation
i
Evaluation of New York State’s Mandatory Occupant Restraint Law: Volume II: Attitudinal Surveys of Licensed Drivers in New York State
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1985-12-01
[PDF-2.67 MB]
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Edition:Final report
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Abstract:This is the final report on the results of three attitudinal surveys of licensed drivers in New York state conducted as part of the evaluation of New York's Mandatory Occupant Restraint law. The objective of the attitudinal surveys was to provide information on drivers' behaviors, attitudes, and perceptions which would help to explain any changes in actual restraint use measured in separate observational surveys. One thousand NYS drivers were contacted in each of the three telephone surveys. A baseline survey was conducted in October 1984 and post-law surveys were conducted in March 1985 and September 1985. The reported use of safety belts increased from 29% in October 1984 to 67% after implementation of the law, but then decreased somewhat in September 1985. In October 1984 nine out of ten drivers interviewed were aware of the Mandatory Occupant Restraint Law. After the law was in effect awareness was nearly 100%. Approximately 65% of the drivers expressed support for the law in both October 1984 and March 1985. Support increased to 71% in September 1985. Finally, the perception that enforcement of the law was strict decreased from 40% in October 1984 to 23% in September 1985. Demographic comparisons of drivers indicated that those who were least likely to buckle up were men, drivers 16 to 24 years of age, and drivers with less than a high school education. The results of the telephone surveys indicated that the decline in usage rates over time was related to a decrease in publicity and a low perception of the risk of enforcement, rather than a decrease in support for the law. /Abstract from report summary page/
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