Increasing Safety Belt Use: Effects of Modeling and Trip Length¹

Abstract

Effects of modeling on car safety belt use were investigated in a field experiment. Modeling, anticipated trip length, and gender of the model were manipulated in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design. Sixty‐four female college students were told that they were to participate in an experiment that would take place in another location, requiring a drive either of less than one mile or of several miles. The driver either used or did not use a safety belt. Subjects' belt use was significantly related to the model's behavior. When the driver used a safety belt, 77.4% of the subjects used one; when the driver did not use a safety belt, only 313% of the subjects used one. A significant effect for trip length was also found. In the long trip condition, 71.9% of the subjects used a belt; in the short trip condition, 35.5% used one. Results are interpreted as support for a social learning theory approach to increasing voluntary safety belt use.

Seat belt use by adult rear seat passengers in private passenger, taxi, and rideshare vehicles

“…This result from observational data is consistent with Fatality Analysis Reporting System data (Raneses & Pressley, 2015). While the modeling effect on front seat passengers is consistent with previous research (Densu, 2013;Hong et al, 1998;Howell et al, 1990;Raneses & Pressley, 2015), the small numbers of front seat passengers in taxis and rideshare vehicles in the present study requires caution in their interpretation. While it might appear that taxi passengers would wear seat belts more often if taxi drivers wore seat belts, the data failed to support that.…”

“…The difference in seat belt use by rear seat rideshare passengers in Las Vegas and in San Francisco, may be due to a number of factors. Rideshare passengers in Las Vegas may have been distracted by their vacation and party plans (e.g., Foss et al, 1994), may have been visitors from states with more lax seat belt laws, and may have been traveling for shorter distances and less likely to wear seat belts (Howell et al, 1990). Further evaluations of seat belt use in rideshare vehicles in other states with secondary and primary seat belt law enforcement would be warranted.…”

“…Modeling. A front seat passenger is more likely to wear a seat belt if the driver wears one (Densu, 2013;Hong, Kim, Kritkausky, & Rashid, 1998;Howell, Owen, & Necks, 1990;Raneses & Pressley, 2015).…”

“…Seat belt use by gender. Some studies show that female drivers were more likely to use seat belts (Bao, Xiong, Buonarosa, & Sayer, 2015;Russo, Kay, Savolainen, & Gates, 2014), but others have shown no gender difference (Howell et al, 1990;Reagan, McClafferty, Berlin, & Hankey, 2013).…”

The Importance of Risk in Determining the Extent to Which Attitudes Affect Intentions to Wear Seat Belts1

“…And, as has been amply documented (e.g., Centers for Disease Control, 1992; Wells, Williams, & Lund, 1990), seat-belt laws do, in fact, lead to significant increases in seat-belt use. More important, there is considerable evidence (e.g., Howell, Owen, & Nocks, 1990;Stasson & Fishbein, 1990;Wells, Williams, & Lund, 1990) that even in states with seat-belt laws, people are much more 6An obvious limitation of generalizing from the present findings to actual interventions is that we measured intentions, rather than actual behaviors. On the other hand, however, intentions have often been shown to be highly correlated with actual behaviors when measurements of these variables correspond with each other (see Ajzen & Fishbein, 1980).…”