2001 Safety Belt Usage Survey in Kentucky

Agent, Kenneth R.; Green, Eric R. · 2001 · ROSA P / University of Kentucky Transportation Center

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Summary

This report presents the findings of the 2001 Safety Belt Usage Survey in Kentucky, conducted by the University of Kentucky Transportation Center in cooperation with the Kentucky State Police. The study aimed to establish statewide safety belt and child safety seat usage rates, documenting long-term trends following the 1994 enactment of a mandatory statewide safety belt law and evaluating the sustained impact of the "Click It or Ticket" enforcement campaign. The research also assessed helmet usage among motorcyclists and bicyclists. Data were collected between June and July 2001 at 200 randomly selected sites across Kentucky, chosen to represent 85% of the state’s population. The sampling design, aligned with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration guidelines, stratified locations by geographic region (West, North, East) and roadway functional classification (e.g., rural interstate, urban arterial). Observers recorded usage for drivers and front-seat passengers in passenger cars, pickups, vans, and SUVs, as well as children under four in both front and rear seats. Data were weighted by vehicle miles traveled to calculate statewide estimates. The statewide safety belt usage rate for all front-seat occupants was 61.9% in 2001, an increase from 60% in 2000 and significantly higher than the 42% recorded in 1993 prior to the statewide law. Usage varied by region, with the highest rate in the North (65.3%) and the lowest in the East (53.5%). Vehicle type significantly influenced compliance; usage was highest in sport utility vehicles (68.6%) and lowest in pickup trucks (47.8%). Child safety seat usage for children under four remained high at 88.8%, with rear-seat usage substantially higher than front-seat usage. Conversely, motorcycle helmet usage declined to 56% following the 1998 repeal of the mandatory helmet law, and bicycle helmet usage remained low at 18%. The authors conclude that while usage rates have reached historic highs, the drop from 70% during enforcement campaigns to 62% post-campaign indicates the limitations of secondary enforcement laws. They recommend modifying the law to allow primary enforcement for all occupants, or at minimum for drivers in the graduated license program, to maximize compliance. The data also highlight specific areas for targeted enforcement and education, particularly in the eastern region of the state and among pickup truck occupants.

Key finding

Kentucky front-seat safety belt usage reached 62% in 2001 (up from 60% in 2000), while restraint use for children under four was 89%, with authors urging primary enforcement for adults to sustain gains seen during Click It or Ticket.

Methodology

field_study

Sample size: 110819

Provenance

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Topics

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• seat belt use
• incidence prevalence
• child passenger safety

Information type

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• Empirical Findings: observational prevalence