Cory D. Cox, Brian S. Cox, & Daniel J. Cox (2005).
Long-term benefits of prompts to use safety belts among drivers exiting senior communities.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,
38, 533-536.
Senior drivers are vulnerable to automobile crashes and subsequent injury
and death. Safety belts reduce health risks associated with auto crashes.
Therefore, it is important to encourage senior drivers to wear safety belts
while driving. Using a repeated baseline design (AAB), we
previously reported that motivating signs boosted safety belt usage
by drivers exiting senior communities from baseline (72% and 68%
usage), to postinstallation of signs (94%), to 6 months follow-up (80%).
The current study was a 4-year follow-up in which six senior
communities, with seat belt signs, were compared to six matched
control senior communities with no signs. Safety belt usage was
stable, across 4 years, at approximately 80% for both male and female
drivers and front seat passengers for the six communities with signs,
and was approximately 55% for control sites. These finding suggest
that the simple and low-cost intervention of erecting signs to prompt
safety belt use has persistent benefits that affect driver and passenger behavior
alike.
DESCRIPTORS: safety belts, prompts, signs, driving safety