Mandatory Seat Belt Use

Report No: 84-R24

Published in 1984

About the report:

The purposes of this study were to review mandatory seat belt use laws as they have been used around the world, to forecast the impact of such a law in Virginia, and, if appropriate, to propose a mandatory seat belt law for inclusion in the Code of Virginia. The study consisted of a review of the literature on mandatory seat belt laws and an analysis of automobile crash data for Virginia for the years 1978 through 1982. The results indicate that a mandatory seat belt law would save hundreds of lives and cause great reductions in injuries from automobile accidents. The relatively low administrative costs associated with this law would be vastly outweighed by savings directly attributable to seat belt use. Consequently, a specific mandatory seat belt act is proposed for inclusion in the Code of Virginia.

Documents

84-R24

_{Disclaimer Statement:The contents of this report reflect the views of the author(s), who is responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of the Virginia Department of Transportation, the Commonwealth Transportation Board, or the Federal Highway Administration. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. Any inclusion of manufacturer names, trade names, or trademarks is for identification purposes only and is not to be considered an endorsement.}

Authors

Joseph Grey

Last updated: January 17, 2024