Georgia Occupant Restraint Statistics

Occupant Restraint

Restraint Use Observational Survey Results by University of Georgia

Restraint Use Observational Survey Results

STATEWIDE USE OF OCCUPANT RESTRAINTS Survey Research Center – Office of Research Services--University of Georgia

The findings presented are the result of an observational study of Safety Belt usage conducted from May 31th to June 12th, 2009, and are based on 60,085 observations.

Safety Belt Usage in 2009:

Statewide safety belt usage in 2009 for drivers and passengers of passenger cars, trucks, and vans was 88.9%, a slight decrease of 0.7% from 2008.

Safety belts usage was 93.3% in passenger cars, 90.5% in vans, and only 73.2% in trucks.
Observed safety belt use for front seat occupants was highest in the Atlanta Metropolitan Statistical area in 2009 (91.8%), followed by other Metropolitan Statistical Areas (84.7%), and non-MSA areas (81.6%).

Observed motorcycle helmet usage in 2009 in Georgia was 100.0%.

Child Safety Seat Usage in 2009:

Child safety seat usage in 2009 was 88.0%, an increase of 2.1% from the 2008 usage rate.
Child safety seat usage was highest in rural areas of the state (96.4%), followed by non-Atlanta MSAs (89.7%), and the Atlanta MSA (85.1%).
Child safety seat usage was higher in vehicles driven by women (89.5%) than in vehicles driven by men (84.0%).

FULL REPORT: The Survey Research Center, University of Georgia, on behalf of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety and the University of Georgia Department of Health Promotion and Behavior, conducted an observational survey of safety belt use during June 2009, and an observational survey of child safety seat use during September 2009. The findings from this study are presented in this volume.

Georgia Unrestrained Passenger Vehicle Occupant (Age 5 and Older) Fatalities

Unrestrained Passenger Vehicle Occupant (Age 5 and Older) Fatalities 1994-2008

Georgia Passenger Vehicle Occupant (Age 5 +) Fatalities, 2008

In 2008, the number of unrestrained fatalities for person older than 5 years of age riding in passenger vehicles, decreased by 9.1% from 2007. However the percent of unrestrained fatalities have increased from 51% (637 unrestrained fatalities) in 2007 to 53% (578 unrestrained fatalities) in 2008.

Georgia Unrestrained Children (Age 4 and Younger) Fatalities

Children Safety Restraint Use by County and Injury Severity-2008

The total number of children ages 4 and younger has decreased by 37% from 2004 (27 children passenger fatalities) to 2008 (17 children passenger fatalities). However, similar to the cases of persons age 5 years and above, the percent of unrestrained fatalities is growing – peaking at 50% unrestrained children in 2008 over the past five years.

Proper uses of child safety seats have saved lives. NHTSA estimates the number of lives saved in Georgia at the current seat belt usage rate. In 2008, child safety belt usage was observed at 85.9% - 86 out of every 100 children were properly restrained in passenger vehicles. NHTSA estimates, with this usage rates, that 13 children lives were saved in Georgia for 2008. The higher the usage of child safety seats, the more lives are saved.

Percent Georgia Unrestrained Passenger Vehicle Occupant (Age 5 +) Fatalities by County - 2008

Restraint Use of Passenger Vehicle Occupants (Age 5+) Fatalities by County, 2008- MAP

Restraint Use of Passenger Vehicle Occupants (Age 5 +) Fatalities by County 2004-2008 – (each year is tabbed)

Percent Unrestrained Passenger Vehicle Occupant (Age 5 +) Fatalities by Region – 2008

Rural Counties have the highest percent of unrestrained fatalities within the state of Georgia. In 2008, 66% of all passenger occupant fatalities (ages 5+ years) were unrestrained, followed by Metropolitan Statistical Areas with 54% unrestrained fatalities. Atlanta counties (50% unrestrained fatalities), Suburban counties (52%), and Georgia as a whole (53%) have lower unrestrained fatalities in comparison to the rural counties.

Injury Severity and Percent Restraint Use 2008

Proper use of seat belts reduces injury severity. In 2008, 97% of all occupants that were involved in Georgia crashes and had no injury were restrained. 96% of those with complaints of injuries, 81% of those survived the crash with visible injuries, 66% of those had severe injuries, and 40% of those killed were restrained. The lower the seat belt use, the more severe the injury.

Percent Restraint Used by Occupants Involved in Crashes by Vehicle Type & Injury Severity-2008

Of those occupants riding in passenger cars 53% of those killed were restrained. Pickup trucks have the lowest restraint use in all injury levels, in comparison to other vehicle types in 2008. 23% of persons killed in pickup trucks were retrained; 51% of those severely injured in pickup trucks were restrained. For more information on pickup trucks safety belt use, please click the 2008 Fact Sheet produced by Crash Outcomes Data Evaluation Systems (CODES).