A survey of occupant exposure to risk on Victorian roads was conducted by Arup Transportation Planning for VicRoads during 1994. Data collected during the survey was used to estimate seat belt wearing rates for various road user groups on Melbourne arterial roads, in Victorian rural towns and on selected Victorian rural highways during that year. Comparisons were made with seat belt wearing rates measured in surveys covering the same three environments carried out at various times during 1989-1991. Subject to the accuracy of the survey data provided, the analysis has shown increases in the wearing of seat belts by both drivers and passengers since 1989-91 for all three locations. However, there are still some vehicle occupant sub-groups, particularly rear seat passengers and children occupying the front seat of a vehicle, that had relatively low restraint use in 1994. Although seat belt wearing rates were generally high in Victoria, it was recommended that in addition to targeting vehicle occupant groups with low seat belt wearing rates, those with high occupancy frequencies should also be targeted, since a smaller percentage increase in restraint wearing for high occupancy groups could have a much larger effect.
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