The research was designed to determine the effectiveness of a nine-month safety belt educational program, utilising various informational materials developed by NHTSA, in increasing safety belt usage among corporate employees. The materials used include an audiovisual slide presentation and a variety of pamphlets, brochures and booklets. Two U.S. corporations agreed to participate in the research and authorised their Safety Director at selected plant sites to implement the program. An evaluation of the program's effectiveness was accomplished by observing employees' use (or non-use) of safety belts as they entered/exited Company parking areas. The observation studies were conducted before the program was implemented, during the program, and after it had been completed. Two principal findings emerge from the research: (1) Corporate Safety Directors generally are reluctant to involve employees in an educational program directed specifically at safety belt usage, although they acknowledge the importance of such a program; (2) The observation studies conducted at the 'experimental' plants indicate that the nine-month educational program did not significantly increase usage of safety belts while driving to or from work.
Abstract