Factors related to seatbelt-wearing among rear-seat passengers in Malaysia.
The benefit of wearing a rear seatbelt in reducing the risk of motor vehicle crash-related fatalities and injuries has been well documented in previous studies. Wearing a seatbelt not only reduces the risk of injury to rear-seat passengers, but also reduces the risk of injury to front-seat occupant who could be crushed by unbelted rear-seat passengers in a motor vehicle crash. Despite the benefits of wearing a rear seatbelt, its rate of use in Malaysia is generally low. The objective of this study was to identify factors that are associated with the wearing of a seatbelt among rear-seat passengers in Malaysia. Multinomial logistic regression analysis of the results of a questionnaire survey of 1651 rear-seat passengers revealed that rear-seat passengers who were younger, male, single and less educated and who had a perception of a low level of legislation enforcement, a lower risk-aversion and less driving experience (only for passengers who are also drivers) were less likely to wear a rear seatbelt. There was also a significant positive correlation between driver seatbelt and rear seatbelt-wearing behaviour. This implies that, in regards to seatbelt-wearing behaviour, drivers are more likely to adopt the same seatbelt-wearing behaviour when travelling as rear-seat passengers as they do when driving. These findings are crucial to the development of new interventions to increase the compliance rate of wearing a rear seatbelt.
Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia, 57000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. cpng@upnm.edu.my
Choy Peng
CP
Ng
Teik Hua
TH
Law
Shaw Voon
SV
Wong
S
S
Kulanthayan
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000328:Adult; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008296:Malaysia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012622:Seat Belts / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*