TY  - JOUR
PY  - 1997//
TI  - Seat belt use of high school drivers and their passengers
JO  - Journal of traffic medicine
A1  - Williams, Allan F.
A1  - Rappold, V
A1  - Ferguson, Susan A.
A1  - Wells, Joann K.
SP  - 21
EP  - 25
VL  - 25
IS  - 1-2
N2  - Objective: This study examined current belt use rates among high school students in Maryland, as well as longer term trends. Methods: Belt use by students at six Maryland high schools was compared with belt use in the surrounding community. Data from five of these schools was compared with belt use in the surrounding community. Data from five of these schools in 1982 and 1988 allowed evaluation of the longer term trends. Results: There was substantial variation in use rates of the high school students (36-91 percent for drivers, 24-74 percent for passengers) largely reflecting differences in socioeconomic status of the communities in which the schools are located. In 1988, high school driver belt use was lower than among comparison drivers at each school. In this study, this was the case at three of the six schools for drivers and four of the six schools for right front passengers. Belt use for all drivers was generally much higher than in 1988. Conclusions: It is important to find ways to increase seat belt use among teenagers. The low rate of belt use by teenage passengers is of particular concern, since passengers comprise about 40 percent of all 16-19 year-old motor vehicle occupant deaths.<p />
LA  - en
SN  - 0345-5564
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -