This project aims to conduct research on the use of seat belts and child restraints at night in relation to cell phone use.
Benefits to Texas Transportation Safety
The most effective way to save lives and reduce injuries in crashes is by using seat belts and child restraints. The national CIOT mobilization program has proven to be highly successful for increasing occupant restraint use. Tracking and evaluating the implementation of the national campaign—along with the Texas-specific participation with state-supported media and enforcement strategies—are instrumental in supporting this life-saving initiative.
Project Need and Approach
State crash data consistently shows lower seat belt use during nighttime hours compared to daytime. In 2021, the lowest occupant restraint use among fatally injured individuals occurred between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m., with only 30.1 percent wearing seat belts. In contrast, the highest rate of 73.9 percent was recorded between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Overall, just 40.6 percent of fatally injured individuals between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. were restrained, compared to 64.1 percent during daytime hours between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. This 23.5-percent difference highlights a persistent gap in nighttime seat belt use—a trend consistently observed in Texas crash data.
To address this issue, the Click It or Ticket (CIOT) campaign emphasizes seat belt enforcement during both day and night. Since 2008, the Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s (TTI’s) Center for Transportation Safety has conducted nighttime seat belt use surveys in various Texas cities, demonstrating the campaign’s positive impact on increasing seat belt use. Between 2010 and 2019, nighttime surveys were conducted between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. in 18 Texas cities, with data collected at two to four sites per city, depending on size.
Project Activities
2025
Surveyors observed 21,196 front seat occupants across 18 cities. Sites were selected that 1) had adequate ambient light either from street lighting or from adjacent businesses; 2) originally had at least one traffic-serving business that was open 24-hours in the vicinity; and 3) offered a reasonable likelihood for some amount of traffic volume throughout the night. To enhance accuracy and security, two TTI traffic surveyors collected data at each intersection, with one designated to observe behavior and the other to record data on a paper form.
Overall seat belt use was 83.2 percent, with drivers at 82.5 percent and passengers at 86.7 percent. Senior drivers and passengers had the highest usage rates, while males aged 20–60 had the lowest. Seat belt use was higher in passenger cars than pickup trucks. Usage rates declined after midnight, with the lowest observed between 1am and 2am. Austin had the highest nighttime belt use (90.3%), while Beaumont had the lowest (73.5%).
Key results can be summarized as:
- 83.2% of nighttime front seat occupants were restrained.
- 9.5% of drivers used mobile phones at night.
- Seat belt use was 3.5 percentage points lower at night than during the day.
- Austin had the highest nighttime seat belt use (90.3%), Beaumont the lowest (73.5%).
- Dallas had the highest nighttime mobile phone use (15.1%).
2024
TTI’s nighttime seat belt use survey observed seat belt use across 18 Texas cities, focusing on the hours between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. These surveys, conducted since 2008, aim to evaluate the impact of the CIOT campaign on nighttime seat belt use. Data were collected at various intersections; seat belt use among both drivers and passengers was recorded. Observations included details on gender, approximate age, vehicle type, and use of wireless communication devices. To ensure accurate representation, data were gathered from multiple sites in each city, with at least 250 vehicles observed after midnight and 200 vehicles observed before midnight.
In addition to seat belt use, the project also included the observation of distracted driving behaviors, specifically cell phone use, which has become a growing concern in traffic safety. The surveys conducted from 2020 to 2024 included tracking of cell phone use by drivers in conjunction with seat belt observations. Use of a wireless communication device by a driver was recorded, along with vehicle type noted as car, pickup, or over-sized pickup.
Project Title: Nighttime Occupant Restraint and Cell Phone Use
Project Start and End Dates: October 1, 2008 – Present
Author List: Katie Womack
Sponsor/Funding Source: Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)