A study published recently in the research journal Accident Analysis and Prevention analyzes the habits of drivers who only occasionally use seatbelts. The report, which used data from monitoring devices installed in 100 vehicles, shows that reluctant seatbelt users are more likely to buckle up for trips on high speed roads.<\/p>\n
The majority of accidents \u2013 and the majority of driving \u2013 occurs on low-speed roads close to drivers’ homes, where drivers and passengers use seatbelts at lower rates. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that if drivers and front-seat passengers always used seatbelts, traffic fatalities would fall by 45 percent. <\/p>\n
“We wanted to find out what makes occasional seatbelt users buckle up more than half the time,” said Jon Hankey, a director of the study at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. “They know it is a good idea, so why don’t they do it all of the time?”<\/p>\n