Effectiveness and Acceptance of Enhanced Seat Belt Reminder Systems: Characteristics of Optimal Reminder Systems

Abstract

Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR): Stephanie Binder AbstractThis report summarizes and synthesizes the findings of two complementary studies conducted to investigate factors related to enhanced seat belt reminder (ESBR) effectiveness and acceptance. It also provides recommendations for ESBR design and suggests a conceptual rating system for ESBRs. A field observational study found that belt use rates of drivers in vehicles with most types of ESBR systems was about 3 to 4 percentage points higher than drivers in vehicles without ESBRs, whose observed belt use rate was 85 percent. The most significant increases in belt use were found among occupant groups with the lowest belt use propensities. A separate system feature study experimentally compared alternative seat belt reminder systems and displays to determine which systems and components drivers find to be most effective, attention-getting, annoying, and desirable. Systems with more aggressive reminder displays and more frequent repetition patterns were perceived to be the most effective, and sounds were perceived to be more effective than visual displays. Perceived effectiveness and annoyance of individual displays were strongly correlated. There is good agreement between the two studies on the association of a greater likelihood of seat belt use with ESBR systems in general and the importance of including an auditory component to the system. Belt use rates based on averaging estimates for age/gender groups were strongly correlated according to system features. Based on the findings of these two studies, together with other literature, a set of recommendations for effective ESBR design are provided. Based on these criteria, a conceptual rating scheme was developed to provide a numeric figure-of-merit for ESBR systems. The rating scheme is preliminary and will require validation before use. Key WordsOccupant protection, seat belt, enhanced reminder, ESBR, consumer acceptance, in-vehicle displays Distribution StatementThis report is free of charge from the NHTSA Web site at www.nhtsa.dot.gov SummarySeat belt nonuse is a serious highway safety problem in the United States. Despite a steady increase in seat belt use rates, nearly one in five front seat passenger vehicle occupants was not wearing a seat belt in 2007 (Glassbrenner & Ye, 2007). Individuals who do not wear seat belts are far more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a crash. In fact, more than half of fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers were not wearing seat belts at the time of the crash (Traffic Safety Facts: Occupant Protection, 2007).All passenger vehicles sold in the United States are required to provide a seat belt reminder upon vehicle startup to encourage the driver to use the seat belt. The minimum required reminder provides an auditory signal for four to eight seconds after vehicle startup and a visual signal for one minute following vehicle startup (if the driver is unbelted). In an effort to provide more effective seat belt reminders, some automotive ...

Effect of enhanced seat belt reminders on driver fatality risk

“…Also, to reach statistical significance an estimate as low as 2% would require three times the vehicle exposure data available for this study. The lack of statistical significance is somewhat offset by the fact that the estimate agrees with the theory of Evans (1991) as applied to the results of Freedman et al (2009).…”

“…However, Freedman et al (2009) estimated only minor differences in the effects on driver seat belt use when comparing different enhanced belt reminder designs (increases ranged from 2.5 to 3.9 percentage points). Thus the variability in estimated effectiveness across manufacturers likely is due to differences in drivers rather than differences in design.…”

Assessment of seat belt use in University of Cape Coast campus, Ghana

“…Most private cars are relatively new and hence they are fitted with well functioning seat belts, coupled with enhanced seat belt alarm system. Seat belt enhanced alarm system greatly increases seat belt use of both drivers and passengers (Freedman, Lerner, Zador, Singer, & Levis, 2009;Lie, Krafft, Kullgren, & Tinvall, 2008). Additionally, some of these private cars are fitted with intelligent seat belts, which automatically strap in any person who gets on board.…”

Enhanced Seat Belt Reminder Systems for Teenage Drivers and Passengers

“…The findings of the teen ESBR experiment and the parent discussion groups, together with the findings of the complementary observational and experimental studies in this project (Freedman et al, 2008) and other findings in published research literature were used to generate a set of recommendations for the design of teen-oriented ESBR systems. The set of recommendations is hierarchical, in that a particular general recommendation was followed by more specific recommendations on sub-aspects.…”

“…ESBRs typically extend and/or supplement the basic visual and auditory reminders, but also may include other features. ESBRs increase the rate of driver and passenger belt use and the literature provides some indication of desirable ESBR features (Freedman, Lerner, Zador, Singer, & Levi, 2008;Kraft, Kullgren, Lie, & Tingvall, 2006;Williams, Wells, & Farmer, 2002). Current products, prototype systems, and systems recommended in the literature (e.g., Eby, Molnar, Kostyniuk, & Shope, 2004) vary widely in their attributes.…”