Objectives, Scope, and Methodology

This report’s objectives were to determine (1) the nation’s progress in achieving goals for the use of safety belts, (2) the strategies used most successfully by some states to increase safety belt use, and (3) federal strategies that could help increase this use. More specifically, at the various locations, we obtained and reviewed pertinent documents, including NHTSA’s Regional Action Plans and the states’ Highway Safety Plans, which described the state’s strategies for increasing the use of safety belts and provided information on past successes; reviewed materials developed for public information and education campaigns and for community-based traffic safety programs; discussed with state officials what the federal government is currently doing to increase safety belt use, what is and is not working well, and what changes are desirable; reviewed appropriate laws and regulations and other relevant documents; reviewed the methodologies NHTSA used to calculate the rate of seat belt analyzed the methodologies used in state surveys to determine whether the states were consistent in how the surveys were planned and conducted; and reviewed NHTSA’s guidelines on the state surveys of safety belt use to determine the extent to which the guidance provides for consistent surveys. Belt use in light trucks and vans has remained relatively low. NHTSA could improve the guidelines for the state surveys, but the effect of such improvements could be minimal since the state laws vary significantly and NHTSA does not offer financial incentives to encourage the states to improve their surveys. As shown in table 3.1, the 10 states we visited included 3 states with primary enforcement laws, 6 states with secondary enforcement laws, and 1 state with no law. Primary Enforcement Laws Are Key to Increasing Safety Belt Use

States with primary enforcement laws have been the most successful in increasing safety belt use. This success is the result of law enforcement officers stopping and assessing fines to a vehicle’s occupants solely for not using their safety belts. Conclusions

The states that are most successful in increasing their rates of safety belt use have comprehensive programs that include mandatory primary enforcement laws that are visibly and aggressively enforced. Federal efforts have been effective in encouraging federal employees to use safety belts in motor vehicles. States could be encouraged to implement comprehensive safety belt programs that provide for primary rather than secondary enforcement; coverage of all of the occupants in all of the vehicles in which belts are installed, including the occupants of passenger cars’ rear seats and the occupants of light trucks and vans; and aggressive enforcement and higher fines/penalties to encourage belt use.
Why GAO Did This Study

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed whether federal and state efforts have been successful in increasing the use of safety belts in motor vehicles, focusing on: (1) the progress that has been made in achieving seat belt use goals; (2) state strategies that have been successful in increasing seat belt use; and (3) federal strategies that could increase seat belt use.

What GAO Found

GAO found that: (1) since 1982, the use of safety belts nationwide has increased significantly; (2) the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is unable to report on safety belt use with any accuracy because state surveys use varying methodologies to measure seat belt usage; (3) NHTSA could increase the reliability of usage rates if it developed narrower survey guidelines, but changes are unlikely, since state seat belt laws vary and NHTSA no longer provides financial incentives to encourage states to improve their surveys; (4) states with the highest usage rates generally have primary enforcement laws, which allow law enforcement officers to ticket violators solely for not using seat belts, visible and aggressive enforcement, and active public information programs; (5) states with primary enforcement laws averaged 15 percent higher use rates than states with secondary enforcement laws; (6) financial disincentives in federal transportation law have encouraged many states to adopt primary and secondary enforcement laws; (7) as of 1992, 17 states did not require occupants of light trucks or vans to use safety belts; (8) the lack of laws governing restraint use in light trucks has become an increasing problem, since these vehicles have unfavorable rollover rates and their sales are increasing; (9) the fines assessed for not using seat belts remain low; and (10) the federal government and states could increase the use of safety belts by developing and distributing a model safety law and enacting laws that provide for primary enforcement, coverage of all occupants in all types of vehicles, aggressive enforcement, and higher fines.