title: The rate of seat belt use and its related factors among car drivers in Tehran, Iran after imposing new regulations.
abstract: The incidence of road crash deaths is high in Iran. Seat belts can reduce the risk of death or serious injury. This study aimed to estimate the rate of seat belt use and its related factors for car drivers in Tehran, Iran after proclamation of the 2011 legislation. A roadside observational study was conducted in 2012 and 10,752 cars and taxis commuting in different streets of Tehran were screened in regard to drivers' seat belt wearing. Other variables including gender, age range, type of street, district, time of day and day of week were also collected. The rate of seat belt use was 70.9%, and was significantly higher in females, elders and on freeways and significantly less in afternoon hours, side streets and in taxi drivers. The rate of seat belt use in Tehran (a representative of Iran) is still low despite the implementation of new legislations. More initiatives are needed to increase this rate especially in certain groups and areas.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Faculty of Public Health , Kerman University of Medical Sciences , Haft Bagh Alavi Blvd , Kerman , Iran.
authors.forename: Amir Reza
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Nabipour
authors.forename: Narges
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Khanjani
authors.forename: Zahrasadat
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Soltani
authors.forename: Morteza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akbari
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012622:Seat Belts / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012737:Sex Factors
keywords: Iran; Tehran; seat belt use rate