Safety Belt and Motorcycle Helmet Use in Virginia: Results of the 1994 Survey: Technical Assistance Report

About the report:

This series of surveys was initiated to qualify the state for Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act § 153 incentive funds. To qualify for funds in each of the 3 years the program was in operation, states had to meet specific standards with respect to the existence of statutes, as well as for safety belt and motorcycle helmet use rates. In addition, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration specified the survey criteria the states had to meet in determining their use rates. Over these 3 years, Virginia qualified for approximately $1.5 million in funds. Even though the § 153 program has ended, the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles has requested that data collection on safety belt and motorcycle helmet use be continued, and that the same methods, procedures and sites be used as for the § 153 program. This report describes the methodology used for data collection and gives the results of the 1994 survey. The results show that Virginia's 1994 safety belt use rate was 71.8% and the motorcycle helmet use rate was 100.0%. These rates compare with the motorcycle helmet use rate of 100% in 1992 and 1993, and with safety belt use rates of 71.6% in 1992 and 73.2% in 1993.

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