A multifaceted approach to improving motor vehicle restraint complicance.
OBJECTIVE
To increase proper use of seat belts and car seats, thereby reducing morbidity and mortality from motor vehicle collisions.


METHODS
The Vehicle Injury Prevention program community intervention was implemented in Houston, Texas. Effectiveness data are limited to "target area one", an impoverished neighborhood in northeast Harris County.


METHODS
This multifaceted public health education campaign brought together six segments of the community: education, health, government, law enforcement, private industry, and the media, to improve restraint use. It was evaluated by observation of proper restraint use before and nine months after implementation. Trained, independent observers made observations of occupants in the target area and at two comparison sites. Pre-post differences in restraint compliance were calculated by a standard binomial proportion test.


RESULTS
Motorists in target area one significantly improved their restraint use by 15% (p<0.05) from 39% pre-intervention to 54% post-intervention, whereas use in the comparison neighborhoods remained unchanged.


CONCLUSIONS
Implementation of a public health education program, combined with economic incentives to increase vehicle restraint use, can be successful with multifaceted community support.
Hanfling
M J
MJ
Baylor College of Medicine, Pediatrics, Academic General, Pediatric Injury Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. MarcusHanfling@hchd.tmc.edu
Mangus
L G
LG
Gill
A C
AC
Bailey
R
R
D001334:Automobile Driving; D015438:Health Behavior; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D015370:Infant Equipment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012622:Seat Belts / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012926:Social Control, Formal; D013781:Texas