Citation

Perkins BJ, Helgerson SD, Harwell TS. J. Saf. Res. 2009; 40(1): 49-52.

Affiliation

Injury Prevention Program, Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Bureau, Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, Helena, Montana.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, U.S. National Safety Council, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jsr.2008.12.002

PMID

19285586

Abstract

PROBLEM: Enforced primary seatbelt laws can reduce morbidity and mortality associated with motor-vehicle crashes. Constituent support is an important factor associated with legislator voting behavior toward injury prevention laws. Little is known about attitudes toward a primary seat belt law among adults in rural states without a primary seat belt law. METHODS: Data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey, a telephone survey of a representative sample of adults in Montana, were used to assess attitudes toward a primary seat belt law. RESULTS: Sixty-one percent of respondents supported a primary seat belt law. Using multiple logistic regression analyses, women (AOR 1.87; 95% CI 1.49-2.36), persons aged 65 years and older (1.45; 1.06-1.96), American Indians (2.71; 1.55-4.75), those with health insurance (1.51; 1.07-2.14), and those who reported always wearing their seat belt (4.05; 3.14-5.21) were more likely to support a primary seat belt law than respondents without these characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of adults in a rural state support a primary seat belt law.

Language: en