NHTSA Region IV Click It or Ticket Campaign, May 2001

Solomon, M. G. (Mark Geoffrey) · 2002 · ROSA P / United States. Department of Transportation. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

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Summary

This report evaluates the first region-wide implementation of the "Click It or Ticket" Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) across the eight states comprising NHTSA Region IV in May 2001. Motivated by previous successes in North Carolina and South Carolina, the campaign aimed to rapidly increase seat belt usage through intensive, coordinated enforcement and publicity. The study sought to measure changes in observed belt use, motorist awareness, and attitudes toward enforcement across a population exceeding 50 million people. The evaluation employed a mixed-methods design involving observational surveys, enforcement data collection, and public opinion surveys. Observational surveys of front-seat occupant belt use were conducted at five intervals: baseline (pre-announcement), after earned media, after paid media, during peak enforcement, and post-campaign. Additionally, Driver Licensing Office surveys and statewide telephone surveys measured public awareness and attitudes before and after the two-week enforcement period. Law enforcement agencies reported activity totals, including citations and checkpoints. The campaign utilized approximately $3.6 million in paid media alongside extensive earned media coverage, focusing on a zero-tolerance enforcement theme. Results indicated a nine percentage point increase in regional front-seat belt use, rising from a baseline of 65 percent to 74 percent at the height of enforcement. Increases were consistent across demographic groups, with equal gains for white and non-white occupants and for urban and rural locations, though male and pickup truck occupants showed slightly larger increases. Enforcement efforts yielded 119,805 seat belt citations and 9,495 child restraint citations, along with 8,478 DUI arrests. Public awareness surged significantly; 59 percent of motorists reported knowing the "Click It or Ticket" slogan by the campaign's end, up from 21 percent at baseline. Exposure to television and radio advertisements increased dramatically, and support for strict seat belt enforcement and standard enforcement laws rose among respondents. The study concludes that coordinated, high-visibility enforcement campaigns supported by intensive media efforts can substantially and rapidly improve seat belt compliance across large regions. The observed nine-point increase is projected to result in a significant reduction in highway fatalities and serious injuries. The findings validate the STEP model as an effective tool for changing motorist behavior, demonstrating that widespread law enforcement support and focused publicity can overcome regional variations in legal frameworks and baseline usage rates.

Key finding

Front seat occupant belt use increased by nine percentage points across eight states during the two-week enforcement period.

Methodology

mixed_methods

Sample size: 1081624

Provenance

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Topics

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• seat belt use
• public messaging
• child passenger safety

Information type

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• Applied Guidance: countermeasure evaluation, policy recommendations
• Empirical Findings: observational prevalence