Influence of seat belt use behavior and road traffic crash experience on the use of child restraint systems: A step further

Abstract

Seat belts and child restraint systems (CRS) are important in-car safety components capable of preventing serious injuries and death in the event of a car crash. Low rates of seat belt and CRS use persist globally, particularly in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). In an effort to better understand and subsequently improve seat belt and CRS use rates, this study analyzed the factors influencing seat belt and CRS use behavior in the Eastern Province (EP) of KSA, including the connection between seat belt and CRS use and road traffic crash experience.

This cross-sectional study was based on a survey of 3,421 male and female participants regarding their seat belt and CRS use behavior. Respondents were classified into four CRS use categories: cautious, helplessly negligent, ignorantly negligent, and deliberately negligent. Chi-squared tests were used to determine significant associations among seat belt use, seat belt belief, prior crash experience, CRS use, and demographic variables. Multinomial nominal logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratios for classification in one of the three negligent vs. cautious CRS use categories as a function of demographic variables, prior road traffic crash experience, and belief in and use of seat belts.

Results of this study indicated a modest improvement in the rate of seat belt use in KSA’s EP, however, a significant proportion of respondents reported only sometimes or never using their seat belt. A significant proportion of respondents were also classified in one of the three negligent CRS use categories. Respondents who reported using a seat belt sometimes or never were 2.67, 2.60, and 3.48 times more likely to be categorized as deliberately negligent, ignorantly negligent, or helplessly negligent in their CRS use, respectively, than respondents who reported always using their seat belts. Respondents who reported being previously involved in a car crash or a near crash were also more likely to be classified in one of the three negligent CRS use categories than respondents who reported no prior road traffic crash experience. Previous involvement in a car crash was also found to be associated with lower seat belt and CRS use rates.

These findings suggest a need for increased seat belt law enforcement by the KSA’s Traffic Police Department, as well as additional seat belt and CRS use awareness campaigns targeting individuals with prior road traffic crash experience by the KSA’s Ministry of Communications through the Road Transport Department. This study can serve as a reference for future studies that aim to understand the factors and implications related to seat belt use and belief, CRS use, and road traffic crash experience.