Evaluation of the Reading, PA nighttime safety belt enforcement campaign: September 2004

Safety belt use rates among front seat occupants of passenger vehicles are substantially lower at night than during the day despite the fact that night driving is more dangerous. Recent advances in night vision equipment now make it possible to enforce belt use laws in darkness. Reading, Pennsylvani...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of safety research 2005, Vol.36 (4), p.321-326
Main Authors: Chaudhary, Neil K., Alonge, Mark, Preusser, David F.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Automobiles - legislation & jurisprudence
Earned media
Enforcement programs
Female
Health Promotion - legislation & jurisprudence
Health Surveys
Humans
Law Enforcement
Male
Nighttime enforcement
Pennsylvania
Program Evaluation
Safety - legislation & jurisprudence
Safety-belt use
Seat Belts - legislation & jurisprudence
Seat Belts - utilization
Social Marketing
Surveys and Questionnaires
Time Factors
Traffic safety
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Summary:Safety belt use rates among front seat occupants of passenger vehicles are substantially lower at night than during the day despite the fact that night driving is more dangerous. Recent advances in night vision equipment now make it possible to enforce belt use laws in darkness. Reading, Pennsylvania conducted a night belt use publicity and enforcement campaign during September 2004 using night vision equipment. Front seat occupant belt use at night increased significantly from 50% prior to the campaign to 56% just after the campaign. Daylight belt use also increased though to a lesser extent (56% to 59%). Survey data indicated that motorists had heard about the campaign in newspapers and on television. Belt use increases were not seen during the same time period in a comparison community.
ISSN:0022-4375
1879-1247
DOI:10.1016/j.jsr.2005.06.009