A study was undertaken in North Carolina to determine the characteristics of the minority of drivers who were not using seat belts following an extensive publicity/enforcement campaign, which had increased statewide use to 80%. Vehicles and drivers whose seat belt use was observed at 49 sites were matched against Division of Motor Vehicles registration and driver history files for vehicle owners; data were available for 2650 of the observed drivers, out of an original sample of 5044, who were judged to be the owners of the observed vehicles. The results of this investigation indicate that nonuse of seat belts was associated with male gender, younger age (less than 35); older vehicles (pre-1985); vehicles other than cars, (pre-1985); vehicles other than cars, especially pickups; and poor driving records. To change belt use behaviour of this hard-core nonuser population, it may be necessary - as was done in Canada - to combine publicity/enforcement campaings with driver license points as a penalty for nonuse.
Abstract