United States Department of Transportation
i
Enhanced Seat Belt Reminder Systems: An Observational Study Examining the Relationship with Seat Belt Use
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2021-11-01
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[PDF-4.97 MB]
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Edition:Final Report
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Abstract:Seat belt use dramatically reduces the likelihood of severe injury or death in the event of a motor vehicle crash. As reported by the 2016 National Occupant Protection Use Survey, over 90 percent of drivers and front passengers now use seat belts. Fatality Analysis Reporting System data from 2015 indicated that the nationwide seat belt use rate reached 89.7 percent but 48 percent of all fatally injured occupants are still unbelted. Vehicle technologies have the potential to increase belt use and have significant effects on injury and fatality rates. One approach to improving seat belt use is to expand the seat belt reminder system beyond the minimum required by the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 208. Such systems are referred to as enhanced seat belt reminder (ESBR) systems. This project undertook a field observational study to determine the effectiveness of various ESBRs in increasing observed seat belt use. The study took place in 8 States with trained data collectors observing seat belt use of drivers and right-front seat passengers in passenger vehicles. Subsequently, using license plate numbers, vehicle make, model, and year were determined. Using this vehicle information, seat belt use observations were merged with ESBR features. Statistical models were fitted and tested, and estimates were interpreted to assess and compare how different ESBR designs affect seat belt use while controlling for the potential effects of belt use confounders (e.g., vehicle, occupant and site characteristics).
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