BACKGROUND

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 50% of passenger vehicle occupants killed in traffic crashes in 2021 were unrestrained, based on known restraint use. Buckling up is the single most effective thing drivers and passengers can do to protect themselves from death or serious injury in a motor vehicle crash. Seat belt use in passenger vehicles is estimated to save more than 10,000 lives annually in the United States. Although most Americans seem to understand the lifesaving value of seat belts (the national seat belt use rate was at 91.6% in 2022), large numbers of vehicle occupants still do not buckle up. The failure of even a small percentage of vehicle occupants to use seat belts contributes to large numbers of deaths and serious injuries.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this research is to design and conduct research on the remaining fraction of vehicle occupants who do not use seat belts, with the goal of identifying practical, actionable countermeasures that can be implemented by state highway safety offices (SHSOs) and their partners to motivate the last seat belt use holdouts to buckle up. To reach the holdouts, understanding underlying issues is critical. 

TASKS

PHASE I – Document Review and Planning

Task 1.  Assess literature and previously developed methodologies to identify characteristics and demographics of the fraction of vehicle occupants who do not use seat belts. The literature review should focus on domestic research, with relevant international information to be considered. The budget for the literature review should not exceed 10% of the overall project budget. As an interim deliverable, prepare a draft summary of the literature review and synthesis in a form suitable for publication as a TRB Research-Results Digest. Revise the draft deliverable in response to inquiries and comments from BTSCRP.

Task 2. Develop a data collection and analysis plan for conducting new research in Phase II to accomplish the project's objective. This will include at a minimum:

1. Identify characteristics and demographics of the fraction of vehicle occupants who do not use seat belts. Consider conducting a survey of SHSOs to assess available information and strategies being used to address the problem.

2. Gather data about low restraint use groups, including reasons why they are not buckling up, and insights into motivational and environmental factors that could lead to more effective occupant protection public outreach, traffic enforcement, and informational and educational programs.

The research team is expected to examine state and regional data in order to develop customizable and scalable countermeasure approaches, as opposed to a one-size-fits-all approach.

Task 3. Prepare Interim Report #1 that documents the work completed in Tasks 1 and 2. Update the work proposed for Phase II.

PHASE II – Data Collection and Analysis

Task 4. Execute the plan in Interim Report #1 to achieve the research objective.

Task 5. Prepare Interim Report #2 that documents the work completed in Task 4. Update the work proposed for Phase III.

PHASE III - Deliverables

Task 6. Develop (1) a toolkit of practical, actionable countermeasures that can be implemented by SHSOs and their partners to motivate the last seat belt use holdouts to buckle up, and (2) outreach materials to support practitioners’ understanding and use of the research findings. The toolkit should provide implementation considerations tailored to address different demographic groups and different types of seat belt use laws (e.g., primary enforcement versus secondary enforcement).  

Task 7. Conduct a virtual workshop to share the draft toolkit and outreach materials with a large and diverse group of stakeholders and collect stakeholder feedback for use in finalizing these deliverables.

Task 8. Develop final deliverables, which at a minimum will include (1) a final research report documenting the entire research effort and findings; (2) toolkit; (3) outreach materials; (4) prioritized recommendations for future research; (5) PowerPoint presentation summarizing the research findings; and (6) a technical memorandum on implementation.

STATUS: Proposals have been received in response to the RFP. The project panel will meet to select a contractor to perform the work.