Teens have higher fatality and injury rates in motor vehicle crashes than any other age group. The majority of fatally injured teens are not buckled up. While observed seat belt use for teens has risen gradually, nationally the majority of 16-20 year old passenger vehicle occupants killed in car crashes continue to be unrestrained (58 percent in 2006). To assist with problem identification in Region 6, this PowerPoint presentation has been developed by PRG which outlines the expanded history of seat belt mobilizations and trends in seat belt usage (observed and among crash victims) for these five States as well as the U.S.  Most slides have been annotated to relate their content to progress made or not made in reaching high risk groups.

Seat belt usage observers will be collecting age information to determine the number of buckled and unbuckled teens before and after the mobilization campaigns. The evaluation contractor, PRG, will tailor observation forms for each State and include the form in the Evaluator’s Packet they will develop soon. A sample (only) of the observation form used in the Nevada teen demonstration project is available below:

Nevada SAMPLE Seat Belt Use Observation Form

The project evaluators will work with each State to determine how the data collection will be conducted to obtain uniform data and to aggregate the results of each State's activities. This project component is being carried out in cooperation with NHTSA's Behavioral Technology Research Division.

Evaluation Schedule March 2010, Louisiana
Evaluation Schedule March 2010, Mississippi, New Mexico, Texas
Evaluation Schedule October/November 2009
Evaluation Schedule May 2009

A pre seat belt use observation and awareness surveys (State Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV)) will be conducted for the May 2009 mobilization to establish a baseline. Post seat belt use observation and awareness surveys will then be conducted following the October/November 2009 and May 2010 mobilizations.