A study of Michigan safety belt use surrounding the May mobilization, 2004

Abstract

The study reports the results of an evaluation of the “Click It or Ticket: Buckle Up or Pay Up” safety belt mobilization campaign in Michigan centered around Memorial Day of 2004. The study consisted of three survey waves: Two full statewide surveys (one conducted as a baseline before the campaign and one conducted as a post campaign measure) and one “mini” statewide survey conducted to assess the media and enforcement components of the campaign. All survey waves were conducted statewide on front-outboard occupants traveling in four vehicle types (passenger cars, sport-utility vehicles, vans/minivans, and pickup trucks). Belt use was estimated for all commercial/ noncommercial vehicle types combined (the statewide safety belt use rate) for each survey wave. Additional analyses were conducted on the two full statewide surveys (baseline and post) because of the larger sample sizes. Statewide safety belt use was approximately 84 percent prior to the mobilization campaign, 82 percent during the media and enforcement period, and nearly 87 percent during the post survey wave. This was a statistically significant increase in belt use from both the baseline and media/enforcement waves to the post wave. In addition, the use rate for the post survey, of 86.8 percent, was the highest ever found in Michigan. The study results suggest that: Michigan should continue to participate in the national efforts to raise safety belt use; safety belt enforcement zones were successful as implemented in Michigan and should be continued; the CIOT model as implemented in Michigan was successful; and the expanded efforts that were employed during this year’s mobilization have resulted in an even larger belt use increase than has been observed in the past.