NORTH CAROLINA'S OCCUPANT RESTRAINT LAW: A THREE YEAR EVALUATION

This report describes the results of an evaluation of the effectiveness of North Carolina's occupant restraint law with respect to (1) changes in belt use in the population at large; (2) injury reduction in crashes; and (3) enforcement activities at the state and local level. The principal findings are as follows: (1) belt usage during the pre-law baseline period was 25%, during the 15-month warning ticket phase ranged from 41 to 49%, and during the $25 citation phase hit a high of 78% and leveled off at around 60% nearly 1.5 years later, with current usage at nearly 64%; (2) during the 15-month warning phase, serious and fatal injuries to Covered Occupants showed a reduction of 5.4%, and during the $25 citation phase a 14.6% reduction from the forecasted level; and (3) the level of enforcement by the Highway Patrol was 9666 warnings per month during the warning ticket phase, and 4130 $25 citations per month during the first 21 months of the citation phase. The following conclusions were drawn: North Carolina has reached and maintained one of the highest levels of statewide belt usage seen in the United States; serious injury and fatality reduction has been consistent with the comparatively high level of observed belt usage; since the law went into effect (i.e., October 1, 1985), injury reductions are estimated at 179 fewer fatalities, 4343 fewer serious injuries, and 5821 fewer moderate injuries; using motor vehicle accident costs recommended by the Federal Highway Administration, the injury and fatality reductions would represent a savings of over $500 million from October 1985 through June 1988; and there is a need for increased enforcement (particularly at the local level) along with public information and education.