Buckle Up America (BUA) was a national initiative announced January 1997 directing the Department of Transportation (DOT) to prepare a plan to increase seat belt usage nationwide. In response, the DOT's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration developed a plan to increase national seat belt use to 85 percent by 2000, and decrease fatalities to children under the age of five by 15 percent by 2000. Program evaluation data included multiple sources of seat observation results, Fatality Analysis Reporting System data (FARS), and the collection of law enforcement citation data. Case studies were conducted in locations showing exemplary progress. Seat belt use rates increased after the inception of BUA. However, in 1998, only five states and the District of Columbia were at or above 80 percent belt use; all are jurisdictions having primary seat belt laws. Child restraint use improved markedly for children under age five and fatalities decreased dramatically (-11.9%). By the end of 1998, BUA was nearing its goal of reducing child fatalities by 15 percent, but was still well short of the goal of 85 percent belt use nationwide. (A) For the complete report see: BUAfinalreport.pfd
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