This paper concerns the French experience in seat belt use. As well as the seat belt regulations, the strategies employed to reinforce the wearing of seat belts by using information and encouragement campaigns and checks by the police and gendarmerie are described here along with their timetables and rates of intensity. The data are analyzed to evaluate the effectiveness of these road safety measures by examining the annual chronological series of the rates of seat belt wearing by front seat occupants of private vehicles in both the country and in urban areas from 1972-1991, alongside the timetable of implementation of the backup measures taken. In January 1992, equipment in vehicles to restrain children less than 10 years old will become obligatory. Efforts still have to be made to identify the reasons which make persistent offenders fail to buckle their seat belts. Consciousness-raising and information campaigns are planned to induce vehicle owners to use vehicle protection systems and to reinforce utilization of rear seat belts.
Samenvatting