Failure to wear seat belts has been found to contribute to high numbers of fatalities or serious injuries. This project collates existing research and undertakes new research to improve understanding of this issue. The main aims were to identify who does not wear a seat belt and to outline reasons for failure to wear one, in order to provide a better understanding of attitudes towards wearing seat belts. Broad aims included gaining understanding of who does or does not wear a seat belt; analysis of the motivations behind conscious decisions to wear or not wear a seat belt; acquiring a better understanding of the habitual behaviour regarding the use of seat belts; and identification of opportunities to influence behaviour which might be exploited by communications campaigns. Further objectives included the investigation of factors such changes in usage; vehicle type; journey purpose; perceptions of risk and enforcement; motivational imperatives such as want, need, effort and remembering; conscious decision versus unconscious habit; effects of behaviour following journey interruption; consequences most likely to motivate people such as accidents or fines. Existing data were reviewed, followed by qualitative research into reasons why people do and do not wear seat belts and research into who are seat belt wearers and inconsistent wearers, followed by a discussion and implication of findings, conclusions and recommendations. (Author/publisher)
Abstract