Samenvatting
This paper reports a study employing seatbelt usage among novice drivers to indicate driving style in general. An observational study among students was followed by a questionnaire on seatbelt use and self-assessment of driving skill. The paper describes the results for self-assessed driving skill in terms of years of driving and sex. It was found that belt use decreased for the first three or four years after licensing, then increased. Male drivers regarded their own skill as higher than average, females as average. The effect of self-assessed skill was statistically significant with lower confidence corresponding to increased belt usage, up to four years after licensing. For the covering abstract see ITRD E113725 (C 22328 CD-ROM).