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Seat Belts

A Guide to Selected Government Information Available at WIU's Government Publications Library

Web version of this guide includes links to web resources.

Federal Government Information
Standard Enforcement Saves Lives: The Case For Strong Seat Belt Laws

Standard enforcement allows a police officer to stop a vehicle and issue a citation if the officer observes an unbelted driver or passenger. This manual offers successful examples and favorable arguments. 1999
TD 8.2:SA 9/3

State Traffic Safety Information: Current As Of January 1, 1998

Organized by state, this publication offers comparative data on traffic fatalities, including the cost of crashes, alcohol involvement, federal resources, key legislation, speed, safety belt and child safety seat usage. 1998
TD 8.62:998 current edition at Gov. Pubs. desk

Legislative History of Recent Primary Safety Belt Laws

A look at support and opposition for legislation that would upgrade safety belt laws from secondary (where police need an additional reason to stop an unbelted driver) to primary (where police may stop an unbelted driver for that reason alone). 1999
TD 8.2:L 52/4

Traffic Safety Facts, 2001

This compilation of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics offers a variety of information about crashes of all severities. Tables 21 and 22 show the numbers of drivers and occupants of passenger cars and light trucks involved in crashes by crash severity and restraint usage. The numbers of persons killed and injured are reported. 2001
TD 8.27:2001 current edition at Gov. Pubs. desk

Occupant Protection and Safe Driving Quarterly Planner

A kit of 35 pieces which includes activities and information designed to raise community awareness regarding child passenger safety and occupant protection, as part of Campaign Safe and Sober. 1998
TD 8.2:OC 1/8/PACK.

Buckle Up America Seat Belt Initiative

Found on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website are documents relevant to the Presidential Initiative for Increasing Seat Belt Use Nationwide. The First Report to Congress outlines plan goals, background information, status reports on occupant protection, and future activities. 1998 (more recent online)
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/airbags/buckleplan/
TD 8.2:B 85/4 microfiche

Motor vehicle occupant safety survey

Biennial survey on occupant protection issues, each volume covers a different aspect, i.e., "Seat Belt Report", "Child Safety Seat Report", etc. WIU has 1996-2000
TD 8.2:M 85/36/

Presidential Initiative for Increasing Seat Belt Use Nationwide: Recommendations from the Secretary of Transportation

A look at President Clinton's plan to increase seat belt usage. Its background, components, and implementation are concisely presented. 1997
TD 8.2:B 41/14

Program Strategies for Increasing Safety Belt Usage in Rural Areas

This study seeks to identify effective means of increasing belt usage and the cultural and psychological elements which decrease it. Participants were male pickup drivers ages 16 to 26 from Kentucky and Texas. 1996
TD 8.2:B 41/13

Safety belts and African Americans, 2003 report

This study emphasizes the need for expanded efforts to increase the use of safety belts within the African American community. 2003
TD 8.2:SA 1/48

Safety belt use in 2003: use rates in the States and Territories

This online study was done to determine useage rates of safety belts in the United States and its Territories. 2004
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd-30/NCSA/RPTS/2004/809713.pdf

Safety belt use in 2003: demographic characteristics

This online report presents results on the demographics of safety belt use from the 2003 National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS), with particular emphasis on results that evaluate aspects of the 2003 Click It or Ticket campaign to raise safety belt use nationwide.. 2004
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd-30/NCSA/RPTS/2004/809729.pdf

"Should pregnant women wear seat belts?"

This web document answers many of an expectant mother's common questions about traffic safety. 2002
http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS26395

Traffic Safety Digest: A Compendium of Innovative State and Community Traffic Safety Projects

A summary of outstanding traffic safety campaigns, including seat belt initiatives, nationwide. 1999
TD 8.40:999/1

Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance - National Alternative High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey, United States, 1998

A reporting of health-risk behaviors among students attending alternative high schools nationwide. Tables provide a wide variety of information, including seat belt use. 1999
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report Surveillance Summary October 29, 1999 Vol. 48, No. SS-7
HE 20.7009/2:48/SS-7

Illinois Government Information
"Click it or Ticket" program evaluation

Evaluation of the "Click it or Ticket" program in Illinois based on results of survey taken June 2002. 2002
ILLINOIS 629.276 CLIC 2002

Illinois Crash Facts and Statistics

Provides results of a statewide, random survey conducted in Illinois on a yearly basis. A bar graph depicts seat belt usage rates from 1985 to the present. 1996
ILLINOIS 363.1252 ILLI current edition at Gov. Pubs. desk

Motorist awareness and opinion survey on safety belt issues during the "click it or ticket" campaign in Illinois

Results of survey taken June 2002.
ILLINOIS 629.276 MOTO 2002

Infants, Toddlers and Preschool Transportation

Outlines the transportation requirements for very young school children in Illinois. 1999
ILLINOIS 371.872 INFA

Car Seats for Growing Children: Guidelines for Counseling Parents On Which Type of Car Seat to Use

Tips on car seat purchases, appropriate use, and proper installation.1997
ILLINOIS 363.12572 CAR

Legal Information
"Buckle Up Or Else"

A look at state legislative efforts to strengthen seat belt laws and at the federal incentive grants being offered to those states successful in increasing seat belt use. 1999
State Legislatures. September 1999 pp. 30-32

State Rankings, 1999

This publication contains helpful, comparative data from all 50 states regarding seat belt usage in 1998. A national average is given and state data is alphabetical and by rank. 1999
HA 203.U 17 1999 at Gov. Pubs. desk p.555

Child Passenger Protection Act

Illinois law requiring the use of child restraint systems for children under the age of six years.
625 ILCS 25/1 et seq.

Illinois Vehicle Code

Illinois law mandating the use of seat belts.
625 ILCS 5/12-603; 625 ILCS 5/12-603.1

"Motor Vehicle Restraints for Young and Old"

This article studies the evolution of child safety restraints and the resulting legislation. Also examined is the growing awareness that children and the elderly need more effective restraint systems than are currently provided for in federal standards. 1997
Trial. Vol. 33, May 1997 pp. 60-67

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 208, 209, and 213

These federal regulations set minimum performance standards for occupant protection, seat belt assemblies, and child safety seats.
49 CFR 571.208; 49 CFR 571.209; 49 CFR 571.213

Liability Under State Law for Injuries Resulting from Defective Automobile Seat Belt, Shoulder Harness, or Restraint System

This annotation reviews case law involving defective seatbelts.
48 ALR5th 1

Failure to Use or Misuse of Automobile Child Safety Seat or Restraint System As Affecting Recovery for Personal Injury or Death

Gathered in this annotation are cases where claims of negligence were made with regard to child car seat usage.
46 ALR5th 557

"Child Restraint System Defects"

This article on the safety of child car seats concludes that poor design and insufficient governmental testing contribute to crash-related child injuries.
Trial. Vol. 36, No. 2 February 2000 pp. 45-50

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