NTL Record

Title Increasing Seat Belt Use among 8- to 15-Year-Olds. Volume I, Findings
Record ID 30253
Personal Name
Creator
Kuhn, Michelle; Lam, Jed
Source iii, 34 p. : ill.
Corporate Creator Aeffect, Inc.
Corporate
Contributor
United States. Department of Transportation. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Office of Behavioral Safety Research
Publisher United States. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Publication Date 20080500
Language English
Abstract The broad aim of this research project was to determine the nature and causes of non-use of seat belts among 8- to 15year- olds, and to recommend interventions and strategic approaches to increase usage among this age group. This report summarizes findings from three phases of research: a literature review; 28 in-home family immersion interviews conducted in Illinois, Georgia, and Arizona; and detailed findings from qualitative testing of intervention concepts through 96 triads among “tweens” and teens 8 to 15 years old, six focus groups with parents in Pennsylvania, Iowa, Wisconsin, and California, and two focus groups with adult/teen influencers in Iowa and California. Interventions tested included those based on new products, community and school influence, communications, and key influencers (parents, older teens). Findings from the first and second phases of research suggested there are three segments or targets within the 8-to-15 age range with different attitudes and behaviors toward safety restraints. More specifically, 8- to 10-year-olds (younger tweens), 11- and 12-year-olds (older tweens), and 13- to 15-year-olds (young teens) seem to be motivated by different influencers and peer groups. There also appears to be a gap in messages on seat belt safety directed to parents of 8- to 15-year-olds. That is, after hearing about the importance of child safety restraints for infants, parents report almost no information on the continued importance of safety restraints and/or how to transition children to appropriate restraint systems from infant to toddler to pre-teen. Finally, in terms of messages and interventions, 8- to 15-year-olds say hearing about the consequences of not wearing seat belts from other children their age, or from slightly older youth, would make the consequences of not wearing a belt seem more real and alarming.
Rosap ID dot:1840
Rosap URL https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/1840
TRT Terms Manual safety belts; Children; Adolescents; Data collection; Safety programs
General Subjects Seat belt usage
Classification NTL - SAFETY AND SECURITY - Vehicle Design;
NTL - SAFETY AND SECURITY - Human Factors;
NTL - SAFETY AND SECURITY - Highway Safety
Geographical
Coverage
United States
Contract Number DTNH22-03-C-05121
Report Number DOT-HS-810-965
Availability NHTSA - Behavioral Safety Research
Resource type Tech Report
URL https://ntlrepository.blob.core.windows.net/lib/30000/30200/30253/810965.pdf
Format PDF
Database NTL Digital Repository