Automatic Safety Belt Systems Owner Usage and Attitudes In GM Chevettes and VW Rabbits [May 1980]
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Summary
This 1980 study, conducted by Opinion Research Corporation for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), evaluates the effectiveness of automatic restraint systems and owner attitudes toward them. The research was motivated by a federal mandate requiring automatic restraint systems in all passenger cars by 1981. At the time, General Motors (Chevette) and Volkswagen (Rabbit) were the only manufacturers offering these systems. The study aimed to identify acceptance levels, resistance factors, and critical problems to provide an "early warning" for NHTSA before the systems became standard equipment. The methodology involved 2,431 telephone interviews with owners of GM Chevettes and VW Rabbits. The sample included 1,002 owners of Chevettes with automatic restraints (1978–1979 models), 1,010 owners of Rabbits with automatic restraints (1978 models), and smaller comparison groups of 216 Chevette and 203 Rabbit owners with manual restraint systems. Samples were geographically matched to minimize bias. The study analyzed belt usage rates, comfort and convenience ratings, dealer sales practices, and owner demographics. The findings indicate that automatic restraint systems with operative starter-interlocks are highly effective at inducing belt usage. Reported usage rates for those wearing belts "always" or "almost always" were 89% for Automatic Rabbits and 72% for Automatic Chevettes, compared to 46% and 34% for their manual counterparts, respectively. However, significant differences existed between the two vehicle models. Rabbit owners expressed much higher favorability toward the automatic system (84% favorable after ownership) compared to Chevette owners (51%). Chevette owners reported greater comfort and convenience issues, with 47% citing the shoulder harness rubbing their face or neck, and 54% reporting interference with entering or exiting the vehicle. In contrast, only 24% of Rabbit owners cited face/neck rubbing, and 33% reported entry/exit interference. Additionally, dealer engagement varied; 43% of GM dealers did not demonstrate the automatic system, compared to 31% of VW dealers. The study concludes that while automatic systems significantly increase usage, design flaws and lack of dealer education hinder acceptance, particularly in the Chevette. The authors note that GM discontinued automatic Chevette production due to sales issues, whereas VW maintained sales. The report recommends resolving comfort and convenience design problems and implementing aggressive salesmanship and public information programs to overcome resistance. It highlights that demographic factors, such as age and education, influence usage, with younger, less-educated Chevette owners showing lower compliance despite the automatic system. The findings suggest that successful implementation of the federal mandate requires addressing both mechanical design issues and consumer education through dealerships.
Key finding
Automatic restraint systems with operative starter-interlocks significantly increase safety belt usage rates compared to manual systems, with 89% of automatic Rabbit owners and 72% of automatic Chevette owners reporting they always or almost always wear their belts versus 46% and 34% for manual counterparts.
Methodology
survey
Sample size: 2431
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- Empirical Findings: observational prevalence