HomeMy WebLinkAbout1988-09-12; Traffic Safety Commission; ; Informational Item only - "Seatbelts Save Lives" PresentationCITY OF CARLSBAD
TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION
COMMISSION REPORT OF: September 12, 1988 ITEM NO.___filt_
LOCATION: N/A
INITIATED BY: Engineering Department -Traffic Engineering Division
REQUESTED ACTION: Informational Item only -"Seatbelts Save Lives" Presentation.
BACKGROUND:
DATA:
Recently the County of San Diego, Department of Health Services, under the
Buckle Up North County program, completed a seatbelt usage study throughout
various cities in northern San Diego County.
In conjunction with this study, the County also offers a "Seatbelts Save
Lives" presentation under the direction of Ms. Anne Berteaux, M.P.H. of
Buckle Up North County. Staff has requested that Ms. Berteaux make a
presentation to the Traffic Safety Commission as an informational item.
Seatbelt usage in San Diego North County is up 7 percent from the 57
percent rate found in the previous study conducted in November, 1987 to
the 64 percent usage rate found in the recent study conducted in May 1988 .
Attached is the Seatbelt/Child Safety Seat Usage Studies and Community
Awareness Survey, May 1988 that indicates all tabulated results.
RECOMMENDATION:
This item i s provided for information only and no Traffic Safety Commission
action is required.
NECESSARY CITY COUNCIL ACTION:
None required.
BUCKLE UP NORTH COUNTY! v:s -~ HE~LTH CENTE R
200 '..:. 6 ro2.d\·1ay
Vi sta, C~ 92083
j r 9) 72 ''-,-QJ ' ,o --+ o_ -+
DEPARTMENT OF HEAL TH SERVICES
1700 PACIFIC HIGHWAY. SAN D IEGO . CALIFORNIA 92101 -2417
BUCKLE UP NORTH COUNTY!
SEAT BELT/CHILD SAFETY SEAT USAGE STUD IES
AND COMMUNITY AWARENESS SURVEY
MAY, 1988
SEAT BELT USAGE STUDY, MAY 1988
BUCKLE UP NORTH COUNTY! conducted its fourth seat belt usage
observation study during the period of May 9 -20, 1988 . Twelve
volunteers observed 6157 vehicles containing a total of 7832 occupants
(drivers and front seat passengers). The combined seat belt usage
rate for drivers and front seat passengers was 62%. The seat belt
usage rate for drivers only (the most commonly used rate) was 64 %.
Complete study results are detailed in Table I.
The 64% usage rate for drivers is significantly higher than
the 57 % usage rate found in the previous study in November, 1987
(z=7.5, p<.0001), and the 61.5% rate found in May, 1987 (z=2.57,
p< .01). This rate is also significantly higher than the baseline
usag e rate of 57% found in November, 1986 (z= 7.3, p<.0001).
Of t he total number of drivers, 60% were male and 40% were
female. Fifty-two percent (3186) of the vehicles were observed
at freeway exits. The remainder, 48 % or 2971 vehicles, were observed
at surface street intersections.
As noted in previous studies, seat belt usage was higher among
female dri vers than male drivers (67 % vs. 62%), and higher at freeway
exits than on surface streets (67 % vs. 61 %). Each of these rates
is hig her than in the November 1987 study.
Of the 1675 passengers observed, 1097 or 65.5%, were f emale
and 578 (34.5%) were male. The seat belt usage rate for female
passengers was 61 % compared to the male passenger usage rate of
50%.
Overall, these results indicate an increased seat belt usage
rate compared to initial baseline data collected in November 1986,
and data collected at follow-up in May and November, 1987. See
Figure I for a comparison of rates from all four studies.
BUCKLE UP NORTH COUNTY!
SEAT BELT USAGE OBSERVATIO
MAY, 1988
OVERALL USAGE
Total Drivers and Front Passengers
Total Wearing Seat Belt
Total Not Wearing Seat Belt
DRIVERS
Total Drivers
Total Wearing Seat Belt
Total Not Wearing Seat Belt
Fema le Drivers
To ta l Female Drivers
Total Wearing Seat Belt
Tot al Not Wearing Seat Belt
Male Drivers
Total Male Drivers
Total Wearing Seat Belt
Total Not Wearing Seat Belt
FRONT SEAT PASSENGERS
Total Front Seat Passengers
Total Wearing Seat Belt
To tal Not Wearing Seat Belt
Fema le Passengers
Total Female Passengers
Total Wearing Seat Belt
Total Not Wearing Seat Belt
Ma le Passengers
Total Male Passengers
Total Wearing Seat Belt
Total Not Wearing Seat Belt
SURFACE STREET VS. FREEWAY EXITS
Surface Streets
Tota 1 Ori vers
To tal Wearing Seat Belt
Total Not wearing Seat Belt
Free way Exits
Total Drivers
Total Wearing Seat Belt
Total Not Wearing Seat Belt
7832
4889
2943
6157
3933
2224
2471
1653
818
3686
2280
1406
1675
956
719
1097
668
429
578
288
290
2971
1803
1168
3186
2130
1056
Table I
(100 %)
62
38
( 100 %)
64
36
(100 %)
67
33
( 100 %)
62
38
(100%)
57
43
( 100 %)
61
39
(100 %)
50
50
(100 %)
61
39
(100 %)
67
33
% using
seat belts
70
65
60
55
50
::..
Selected Seat Belt Usage Rates From Four Study Periods Figure
11/86 5/87 11/87 5/88 11/86 5/87 11/8/ 5/88 11/86 5/87 11187 57ITTJ
Overall sea t belt
usage rate
Driver seat belt
usage rate
Male driver seat belt
usage rate
11/86 5/87 11/87 5/88
Female driver seat belt
usage rate
CHILD SAFETY SEAT USAGE OBSERVATION STUDY
MAY, 1988
The fourth child safety seat observation study was conducted
at five sites in North County on May 14, 1988. A total of 456
children under age four were observed in cars as they exited shopping
areas. Forty-three percent (196) of those children were riding
in child safety seats. See Table II for complete data.
In BUCKLE UP NORTH COUNTY!1s previous studies in May 1987
and November 1987, the comparable rates were 64% and 49% respectively.
Thus, t hi s finding represents a continuing decreasing usage rate
since one year ago. The 43 % usage rate is also lower than the
basel i ne rate of 47 % observed i n November, 1986 .
.
Al though there may be several explanations for this disturbing
result, none can be clearly identi f ied at thi s time. Two of the
previ ously used si tes had been changed for the l ast study, but
t he si tes used this time were the same f i ve sites as the November
1987 study . Differences in observers from study to study may
account for some variation in the results, but such a large decrease
cannot be attributed solely to observer bias.
Althou~h observations were not made separately for infants
and todd lers, the observers reported that generally infants were
restra i ned and it was more often the toddler-aged child that was
not in a ch ild safety seat. This supports recent observations
made by BUCKLE UP NORTH COUNTY! staff in other North County settings
and may poi nt to specific groups that may be i n special need of
education on the child safety seat issue.
Total
Total
Total
Total
Total
BUCKLE UP NORTH COUNTY!
CHILD SAFETY SEAT OBSERVATION STUDY
MAY, 1988
Number of Children
Ob served 456
Number Riding in
Ch i ld Safety Seats (CSS) 196
Number Not in CSS,
but CSS Present in Car 16
Number Not in CSS, and
No CSS Present 244
Num ber Not in CSS 260
Table -II
(100 %)
(43 %)
(3 %)
(54 %)
(57 %)
COMMUNITY AWARENESS SURVEY, MAY 1988
BUCKLE UP NORTH COUNTY! administered its fourth community
awareness survey on May 14, 1988. Eight volunteers interviewed
176 respondent s at fou r North County shopping areas .
Most of the i nformation gathered this time was similar to
t he previous survey data in that most respondents stated they
always buckle-up (80 %, 74 % in Nov. 87) and that they always ask
t heir passengers to do so (65%, 57% in Nov. 87). Complete resu l ts
of t his survey are detailed in Table III and the percentages from
the previous surveys are included i n Table IV.
Al l but one respondent stated that they knew there is a Ca lifornia
Sea t Be lt Law, and 88% (155) knew that the law applies to everyone
i n the vehicle. These results are virtually identical to the
last su rvey's results.
Of the 17% of respondents who stated they have children under
four ye ars old, 93 % stated that they always use a child safety
seat fo r these children. This reported usage rate is higher than
the 82% rate found in the last survey.
Ple ase see comp l ete resul ts i n Table I II and Tabl e IV .
BUCKLE UP NORTH COUNTY!
COMMUNITY AWARENESS SURVEY
May 1988
Total Surveys Administered
Reported Seat Belt Use:
Always
Sometimes
Neve r
Believe Seat Belts Save Lives
Believe Seat Belts Decrease Injuries
Always Ask Passengers to Buckle Up
Believe Cost ly to Self When Others
Don't Use Seat Belts
Number with Children Ages 0-4
Percent of Those With Children
Ages 0-4 Who Use Child Safety Seats
Always
Sometimes
Never
Aware of Ca lifornia Seat Belt Law
Know Law Applies to All Passengers
in a Vehicle
Demographics:
Sex:
Race:
Age :
Male
Female
Not Indicated
White
Black
Hispanic
As1.an
Other
Indian
Not Indicated
15 -19
20 -35
36 -50
51 -65
Over 65
Not Indicated
176
141
30
5
165
158
115
134
30
28
2
0
17 5
155
76
96
4
157
3
7
3
0
0
6
11
58
45
27
33
2
TABLE III
(100 %)
(80%)
(17%)
(3%)
(94%)
(90%)
(65%)
(76%)
( 17%)
(93 %)
(7 %)
(0)
(99%)
(88%)
(43%)
(55%)
(2 %)
(89%)
(2%)
(4%)
(2 %)
(0)
(0)
(3 %)
(6 %)
(33 %)
(26 %)
(15%)
(19%)
(1 %)
BUCKLE UP NORTH COUNTY!
COMMUNITY AWARENESS SURVEY
RESULTS FROM FOUR SURVEYS: IN PERCENTAGES
Total Surveys Administered
(All Data Reported as% of total)
Reported Seat Bel t Use:
Always
Sometimes
Ne ver
Believe Seat Belts Save Lives
Believe Seat Bel ts Decrease Injuries
Always Ask Passengers to Buckle Up
Believe Costly to Self When Others
Don't Use Seat Belts
Percent with Children Ages 0-4
Percent of Those With Children
Ages 0-4 Who Use Child Safety Seats
Always
Sometimes
Never
Aware of California Seat Belt Law
Know.Law App1ies to All Passengers
,n a vehicle
Demographics:
Sex:
Race:
Age:
Ma le
Female
Not Indicated
White
Black
Hispa nic
Asi an
Other
India n
Not Indicated
15 -19
20 -35
36 -50
51 -65
Over 65
Not Indicated
NOV 86
208
70
21
9
83
83
50
66
14
100
0
0
97
82
42
50
8
83
8
4
1
3
0
1
12
38
20
13
17
0
MAY 87
230
70
22
8
89
87
56
64
19
84
11
5
97
83
38
61
1
84
5
6
3
1
0
1
8
37
32
14
7
2
NOV 87
219
74
19
7
87
88
57
68
17
82
5
11
98
89
38
59
3
86
4
4
2
1
1
2
4
39
24
17
13
3
MAY 88
175
80
17
3
94
90
65
76
17
93
7
0
99
88
43
55
2·
89
2
4
2
0
0
3
6
33
26
15
19
1