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Show Seat Belt Non-Use (Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey) Traffic crashes are a leading cause of death in the United States. Wearing seat belts is the easiest and most effective way of cutting the highway death toll, and strong occupant protection laws are the most effective way of increasing safety belt use. Highway deaths could be cut dramatically if states upgraded their laws to improve coverage and enforcement.15 The Presidential Initiative to Increase Seat Belt Use Nationwide set ambitious seat belt and child safety seat goals. Increased use of seat belts and child safety seats will save lives, prevent injuries, reduce health care and other costs, as well as improve the lives of everyone in the United States. The national goals are: (a) increase national seat belt use to 85% by 2000, and 90% by 2005; and (b) reduce child occupant fatalities (0-4 years) by 15% in 2000, and by 25% in 2005.16 Table 75. Seat Beit Non-Use*____________________________ Twelve states have enacted primary enforcement laws. Under primary enforcement, a citation can be written whenever a law enforcement officer observes an unbelted driver or passenger. The remaining 38 states, including Utah, have laws providing for secondary enforcement of seat belt violations. Under secondary *Percentage of persons who report sometimes, seldom, or never using enforcement, an Officer is required to safety belts. Sources: Centers for Disease Control, BRFSS Online s{ vjo|atQr for another infraction Prevalence Data Comparison. [Online] Available r , <http://www2.cdc.gov/nccdphp/brfss/...>. Utah Department of Health, before issuing a Citation tor tailure to Bureau of Health Promotion/Risk Reduction, Behavioral Risk Factor buckle Up. In the States with primary Surveillance System 1994, Unpublished Report, p. 41. Utah Department |aws, the average seat belt use rate was of Health, Bureau of Health Promotion/Risk Reduction, Behavioral Risk -,,- nprrpntanp nninte hinhpr than in Factor Surveillance System 1993, Unpublished Report, pp. 1,4. Centers 15 Percentage points higher than in for Disease Control, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Behavioral States With secondary laws. Risk Factor Survey: 1986-1990, (ss-4), p. 20. Table 76. Frequency of Seat Belt Use, Nationwide vs. Utah - 1997 Year Utah U.S. Low U.S. Medium U.S. High 1990 61.0 4.9 51.0 71.2 1991 58.0 4.0 41.0 72.0 1992 49.6 4.0 38.0 67.4 1993 50.3 3.9 34.0 61.9 1994 46.8 - 33.0 59.6 1995 44.3 4.5 32.0 56.4 1996 39.9 - 32.0 51.6 Always Nearly Always Sometimes Seldom Never Age Nationwide Utah Nationwide Utah Nationwide Utah Nationwide Utah Nationwide Utah Group median percentage median percentage median percentage median percentage median percentage 18-24 58.9 60.0 16.2 20.6 12.2 8.0 6.0 8.1 5.0 3.3 25-34 66.3 63.4 14.9 23.6 8.4 6.7 4.5 2.1 3.9 4.2 35-44 69.5 65.7 13.9 23.9 7.5 6.4 3.5 2.1 3.8 1.9 / 45-54 70.9 62.9 14.2 22.4 7.5 9.0 3.2 2.3 3.5 3.4 55-64 70.3 68.4 13.4 19.9 7.4 8.2 3.1 1.3 3.5 2.1 65+ 74.4 71.3 12.1 18.2 5.3 3.3 2.5 2.0 3.2 5.1 Sources Table 75 and Table 76: Centers for Disease Control, BRFSS Online Prevalence Data Comparison. [Online] Available <http://www2.cdc.gov/nccdphp/brfss/...>. Table 77. Use of Child Restraints in a Car: Children <16, Nationwide vs. Utah- 1997 Always Nearly Always Sometimes Seldom Never Age Group Nationwide Utah median percentage Nationwide Utah median percentage Nationwide Utah median percentage Nationwide Utah median percentage Nationwide median Utah percentage 18-24 81.4 64.0 8.1 26.4 5.7 4.1 1.6 2.6 2.2 2.9 25-34 88.1 78.5 5.9 15.8 2.9 3.7 0.8 0.7 0.9 1.4 35-44 84.3 65.1 9.3 22.5 4.5 10.2 1.3 1.8 1.0 0.5 45-54 83.7 56.6 9.6 35.4 4.6 4.1 1.1 1.4 0.7 2.6 55-64 88.0 73.0 6.3 23.7 0.0 3.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 65+ 88.0 62.2 1.6 12.7 0.0 6.2 0.0 18.9 0.0 0.0 15 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. [Online] Available <http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/outreach/stateleg/strength.html>. 16 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Presidential Initiative to Increase Seat Belt Use Nationwide, First Report to Congress. [Online] Available <http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/airbags/buckleplan/presbelt2/>. 17 Ibid. 100 |