A behavioral observation study of Turkish drivers’ and children's safety belt use. Paper presented at the 1st World Conference on Psychology, Counselling and Guidance (WCPCG-2010), Antalya, Turkey, 4-8 February 2010.

Researchers focused on child restraint use in vehicles travelling along Turkish roadways. Field observations occurred at 1.5 - 2 hour intervals during daylight hours between 1130 and 1930 in January 2009. Overall, 1,423 vehicles with children 8 years old and younger were observed completely. Drivers’ belt use was 52.1%. Children’s use rate (over all age categories and restraint systems) was even lower at 29.4%. Unfortunately, 29.4% of these vehicles also had a child riding on another occupant’s lap. The findings supported researchers’ concerns that children are at risk for traffic crash injuries and fatalities in Turkey, and that occupant protection intervention should be strengthened and evaluated among this country’s population. (Author/publisher)