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Show Behavioral Influences on Health Seat Belt Usage Compiled by Dan Bergantz 2001 Utah Seat Belt Usage: 78% According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), consistent use of safety belts could reduce serious injuries and deaths in motor vehicle crashes by approximately 50%. hi Utah, a combined approach of legislation, law enforcement, public information, and education has been taken with the goal to increase safety belt usage within the state. According to the Utah Highway Safety Office, these efforts have helped to increase the rate of safety belt usage from 18% in 1986 to 77.8% in 2001 (Figure 1). Other interesting statistics come from the Utah Highway Safety Office's most recent survey on safety belt usage, hi 2001, it was found that female drivers and front seat passengers were more likely to wear a safety belt (82.4%) than were male drivers and front seat passengers (73.5%). Also, child passengers used safety restraints at a higher rate than adults, but usage decreased among older children (Table 1). Among major Utah counties, overall safety belt usage rates were highest in Davis county, both in 2000 and 2001 (Table 2). Table 1. Safety Belt and Child Restraint Use Rate, Utah, 1986-2001. Year Driver & Front Seat Passenger Child 2-10 Years Child<2 Years 1986 18% N/A N/A 1987 22% N/A N/A 1988 29% N/A N/A 1989 34% N/A N/A 1990 39% N/A N/A 1991 42% N/A N/A 1992 50% N/A N/A 1993 50% 49% 78% 1994 53% 33% 81% 1995 56% 44% 85% 1996 60% 45% 72% 1997 63% 64% 76% 1998 67% N/A N/A 1999 67% 64% 94% 2000 76% 74% 93% 2001 78% 82% 97% Table 2. Safety Belt Usage Rate by County, Utah, 2000-2001. County 2000 2001 Change Cache 72.5% 71.7% -0.8% Davis 78.5% 81.6% +3.1% Salt Lake 77.7% 78.4% +0.7% Utah 73.5% 73.3% -0.2% Washington 74.4% 76.9% +2.5% Weber 70.6% 77.0% +6.4% Overall 75.7% 77.8% +2.1% Figure 1. Safety Belt Use Rate (Driver and Front Seat Passenger), Utah, 1986-2001. 100% -, 0% 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 Year 1996 1998 2000 Sources: Utah Department of Public Safety. Utah Highway Safety Office (2002). Utah Safety Belt Observational Survey. Salt Lake City: Government Printing Office. Utah's Health: An Annual Review Volume DC 111 |
