Citation

Fhaner G, Hane M. J. Saf. Res. 1974; 6(4): 166-170.

Affiliation

Fhaner, Gunilla: U Goteborg, Sweden

Copyright

(Copyright © 1974, U.S. National Safety Council, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Discrepancies have been found in the reported frequency of seatbelt use between studies based on self-reports and those based on actual observation. It was hypothesized that if this discrepancy were due to a social desirability response said, it would be reduced if respondents were told their seatbelt use had been observed. Also investigated were the effects of survey sponsorship and interviewer six. A total of 500 drivers were observed in traffic in their seatbelt use noted. From these, 12 random groups were selected and 257 drivers were ultimately interviewed by telephone. Interviewers were male, for one half of the groups and female for the other and introduced themselves as representing three levels of authority: Swedish road safety office, university department, or a student in a traffic education class. Half of the subjects were told that they had been observed, and the remainder were not. Unweighted means analyses of the data were performed. No F-ratio reached significance, and it was concluded that none of the three factors had an effect on self-reported belt use our attitudes about seatbelts, as measured by opinion on a compulsory belt use law. It was tentatively concluded that a social desirability response said was not very important for self-reported belt use.