Researcher: Katie Womack
Sponsor: Texas Department of Transportation
The objective of this project is to conduct surveys on the use of occupant restraint, motorcycle helmet and child restraint devices statewide and in selected urban areas of Texas. The statewide survey and sampling protocol meet the uniform survey criteria adopted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and therefore the results from this survey are used to estimate the annual statewide seat belt and motorcycle-helmet use rate. Through the findings, researchers can better understand how restraint and helmet use are impacted by various factors, including demographics, outreach and enforcement efforts. TTI’s annual measurement of seat belt use dates back to the mid-1980s, when usage rates were less than 25 percent, as compared to today’s rate of 93.7 percent. The surveys provide evidence of the success of public policy related to seat belts, as well as public acceptance.