Evaluation of an intervention program to increase safety belt use among preadolescent children

The research evaluated the preadolescent safety belt program of the Tennessee Traffic Safety Resource Center. A control group of schools that had not participated in the safety belt intervention program was selected. Also, a post-intervention group of schools was selected for data delivery on the basis of socioeconomic status, size, and years of participation in the program. Seat belt use was evaluated through curbside safety belt counts and in-class survey questionnaires. The data were examined using Statistical Analysis System software. Through data analysis, several conclusions were drawn.

One of the major findings of the research was that the intervention program had an effect in increasing preadolescent safety belt use from control (baseline) to post- intervention. Success of the program may depend upon enthusiastic implementation. A relationship detected was that as the age of the preadolescent child increased, safety belt use decreased. Also, modeling by parents appears to be the key link in getting preadolescent children to use their safety belts.