Strategies to Increase Seat Belt Use: An Analysis of Levels of Fines and the Type of Law

Nichols, James L.; Tippetts, A. Scott; Fell, James C.; Auld-Owens, Amy; Wiliszowski, Connie H.; Haseltine, Philip W.; Eichelberger, Angela

doi:10.21949/1525701

i

Strategies to Increase Seat Belt Use: An Analysis of Levels of Fines and the Type of Law

2010-11-01
By Nichols, James L. ; Tippetts, A. Scott ; Fell, James C.

File Language:

English

Details

Creators:

Nichols, James L. ; Tippetts, A. Scott ; Fell, James C. ; Auld-Owens, Amy ; Wiliszowski, Connie H. ; Haseltine, Philip W. ; Eichelberger, Angela
Corporate Creators:

Bedford Research ; Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation
Subject/TRT Terms:
Publication/ Report Number:

DOT HS 811 413
DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21949/1525701
Resource Type:

Tech Report
Geographical Coverage:

Maryland
Edition:

Final report.
Corporate Publisher:

United States. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Abstract:

The main objectives of this study were to determine the relationships between seat belt use in the States and (1) the type of seat belt law enforcement (primary versus secondary), and (2) seat belt fine levels. The study examined law type and levels of fines as predictors of seat belt use for two time periods (1997 to 2002 and 2003 to 2008) using panel regression analyses. Two outcome measures were examined: seat belt use among front-seat occupants over age 8 killed in passenger vehicle crashes from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and the observed statewide seat belt use of front-seat occupants in passenger vehicles. The results indicated that primary law upgrades were associated with 9- to 10-percentage-point increases in FARS use and 10- to 12-percentage-point increases in observed seat belt use. By comparison, increasing a State’s fine amount from $25 (the current median value) to $60 was associated with a nearly 4-percentage-point increase in both FARS and observed seat belt use. Alternatively, increasing the fine amount from $25 to $100 was associated with a nearly 7-point increase in use.
Format:

PDF
Funding:

DTNH22-05-D-25043
Download URL:

https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/1910/dot_1910_DS1.pdf
File Type:

[PDF - 1.30 MB]
Collection(s):

NHTSA - Behavioral Safety Research
Main Document Checksum:

urn:sha256:bd93433188d7e40e32f7847530ac150b4451e9d8da4d055634679a28f0cc3fb3

File Language:

English

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