ANN ARBOR—While the number of Michigan drivers who wear safety belts has remained about the same over the last year, more and more pickup truck drivers and young motorists—those least likely to use seat belts—are buckling up, say University of Michigan researchers.

“Promising progress has been made in increasing safety belt use among the Michigan population most likely not to be wearing a safety belt,” says David W. Eby of the U-M Transportation Research Institute. “In particular, our results show increases in belt use for pickup truck occupants and for passenger car occupants 16-29 years of age—categories that have traditionally shown low use rates.”

In their annual study of about 10,300 drivers and front-seat passengers in Michigan’s 28 most populous counties, Eby and colleague Michelle L. Hopp found that the rate of safety belt use has held steady at about 70 percent for all drivers of passenger cars, sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) and vans/minivans, while the rate for pickup truck drivers improved from less than 48 percent in 1996 to more than 56 percent in 1997.

In addition, the percentage of drivers under age 30 who wear safety belts increased from about 59 percent in 1996 to nearly 65 percent this year. The largest percentage increase for young motorists was reported for drivers of vans/minivans (from less than 52 percent in 1996 to about 79 percent in 1997) and pickup trucks (from 42.5 percent last year to more than 51 percent this year).

“These findings suggest that the enforcement and public information and education programs by the Michigan Department of State Police Office of Highway Safety Planning, and other local programs, have been effective in increasing belt use among the portions of the Michigan population that are traditionally difficult to reach,” Eby says.

According to the study, about three-fourths of women driving passenger cars, SUVs and vans/minivans wear their safety belts, while less than two-thirds of men in those vehicles buckle up. For drivers of pickup trucks, the rates are about 65 percent for women and 54 percent for men.

The most notable gender difference, Eby says, is in the 16- to 29-year-old age group, where the estimated belt-use rate is 12.9 percentage points higher for females (72.6 percent) than for males (59.7).

“While this disparity is still large, it has decreased by about half since last year,” Eby says. “These results argue strongly for statewide efforts to be directed at getting young males to wear their safety belts.”

In addition to targeting young men, Eby says that efforts should be directed toward preventing the decline of safety belt use that occurs between the ages of 4 and 15.

“One would expect that individuals in this age group would be belted at nearly the same rate as the youngest age group (children 3 and under) since parents and other adults would have primary responsibility for ensuring that those in this age group are belted,” he says.

In all, Eby says that until a primary enforcement safety belt law is passed in Michigan, stricter enforcement of the state’s current law, coupled with major publicity campaigns, can be effective in increasing safety belt use.

“As the effectiveness of current programs is realized, those residents who remain unbelted will be the most difficult to get to wear safety belts and will likely require programs not yet utilized,” he says. “Therefore, we must maintain the current efforts and begin new activities to increase safety belt use.”

Data for the study was collected this fall by observers stationed at 168 intersections and freeway exit ramps throughout the state.

U-M News and Information ServicesUniversity of Michigan