Seat belt compliance behavior of drivers and passengers: A review of data collection, analysis, contributing factors and safety countermeasures

Seat belt non-compliance remains a critical global issue, significantly increasing the risk of severe injuries and fatalities in traffic collisions. Despite widespread awareness campaigns and safety advancements, a substantial number of drivers and passengers continue to travel unrestrained. Addressing this issue requires a comprehensive understanding of the seat belt compliance trend across the globe, the factors influencing seat belt use, the ongoing practices to collect and analyze seat belt compliance data, and effective strategies for improving compliance. This study seeks to synthesize existing research on global seat belt compliance behavior by examining contributing factors, advanced data collection methods, analytical techniques, and safety countermeasures. The goal is to identify research gaps and propose strategies to improve compliance and enhance road safety. 75 studies and relevant technical reports published between 2001 and 2023, sourced from databases such as Google Scholar, TRID, ScienceDirect, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, were reviewed using a robust search and selection process. The review highlights that seat belt use is influenced by driver demographics, roadway design, trip features, and temporal factors. It highlights the methods used to collect and analyze seat belt use data, including observational surveys, roadside and in-vehicle cameras, and advanced machine learning techniques such as Convolutional Neural Networks. The analysis also emphasizes the effectiveness of the “3 E’s” approach—engineering, education, and enforcement. The findings demonstrated that the compliance rate across geographic regions varies because of the robustness of the 3E policy. This study identifies gaps in current research and offers actionable strategies to improve seat belt compliance through innovative data collection, analysis, and targeted interventions aimed at enhancing global traffic safety.