Effects of socio-demographic variables on seatbelt usage: 2010 behavioral risk factor surveillance system

In 2010 alone, motor vehicle traffic crashes claimed the lives of 33,000 Americans and cost taxpayers over $70 billion in lifetime medical costs and job related absenteeism. Seatbelt use has been shown to be the most effective means of preventing unintentional deaths and injuries related to motor vehicle crashes. The goal of HealthyPeople2020 is to increase use of seatbelts to 92.4% by the year 2020 – from a baseline of 84.0%. To accomplish this goal, health campaigns aimed at improving use of seatbelts need to identify and design targeted messages for United States sub-populations at highest risk for seatbelt non-use. To fill this gap, this study assessed the relationship between seatbelt use and socio-demographic variables. We analyzed 2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data to estimate the prevalence of seatbelt use – defined as those who always wear a seatbelt on every trip. Binomial logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between seatbelt use and select socio-demographic variables. Chi-square statistics shows sex, age, race, and United States regions to be associated with seatbelt use. Odds ratio estimates shows females to be twice as likely as males to wear seatbelts (OR = 2.0 95% CI [1.93–2.08]). The odds of wearing a seatbelt were twice as high for older adults aged 65–99 years compared to younger adults aged 18–34 years (OR = 2.0 95% CI [1.93–2.08]). This study result underscores the need to incorporate targeted intervention approaches into efforts aimed at reducing motor vehicle-related deaths and injuries nationwide.