Use of seatbelts in motor vehicles has been for the longest time an approach to help reduce fatalities in case of accidents. Many motor vehicle manufacturers and governments have strict policies on the use of seatbelts. However, seatbelt use among the youth in the United States remains unacceptably low ( Shults, Haegerich, Bhat, & Zhang, 2016 ). According to research conducted by Shults et al. (2016) , teen’s remains the most affected when it comes to accidents. The study points that only about 5 0% of the United States teens report wearing seatbelts when riding as a passenger . This increases the chances of fatalities among the young. According to a research conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) (2015), only about 34% of teen passengers and 47% of teen drivers killed during accidents were belted. IIHS report (2015) indicates that 1725 teens died in 2013 with about 570 being fatally injured as drivers . IIHS (2015) claim that based on the effectiveness of seatbelts, these deaths during crashes could have been reduced by about half – about 900 could have survived .
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) (2015) says that seatbelts are the most effective means of reducing injuries and deaths in crashes. Despite the fact that many states and counties with the United States have either enacted a primary enforcement (issuing of ticket if a person is not belted) or secondary law (issuing ticket when the driver has been pulled for other reasons), there is still increase in the number of young people not wearing seatbelts, especially as passengers (Shults et al, 2016). As such, there is a need for other creative recommendations.
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An approach that has not been utilized and could work is "forcing behavior" described by the National Research Council (NRC) (2007). This approach suggested by NRC (2007) and Graham and Gootman (2008) involves using technology to make it impossible to operate a vehicle in some circumstances. This approach has been used by many motor vehicle manufacturers, however, not to its original intent. Many motor vehicle manufacturers have in the recent time placed seat belt alarm interlock systems to indicate to drivers when they do not use a seat belt. Research conducted by Graham and Gootman (2008) say that this approach has reduced rates of fatalities in crashes by 15% . However, they say using compulsory seat belt interlock technology can be used to prevent any car from starting unless all the individuals abroad have engaged their seat belts. Graham and Gootman (2008) add that compulsory seatbelt interlock system would further reduce deaths by 49% in cases of fatalities if implemented . NRC (2007) indicates that most young people either destroy the alarms or ignore them. As such, making it impossible to drive or sit in a moving car without engaging seatbelts is the best approach to reducing fatalities among the young. It is therefore paramount that new vehicles come with compulsory seat belt interlock systems.
References
Graham, R., & Gootman, J. A. (2008). Preventing teen motor crashes: contributions from the behavioral and social sciences and a summary of the report of the National Research Council and Institute of Medicine: American journal of preventive medicine , 35 (3), S253-S257.
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) (2015). Fatality facts 2013: Teenagers. Retrieved from: https://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/t/teenagers/fatalityfacts/teenagers
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (2015). Traffic safety facts 2013 data: Occupant protection. Retrieved from: http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812153.pdf
National Research Council. (2007). Preventing Teen Motor Crashes: Contributions from the Behavioral and Social Sciences: Workshop Report . National Academies Press. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK9669/
Shults, R. A., Haegerich, T. M., Bhat, G., & Zhang, X. (2016). Teens and seat belt use: What makes them click?. Journal of safety research , 57 , 19-25.Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5712453/
