AUTOMOBILE SEAT BELTS - USAGE PATTERNS IN AUTOMATIC BELT SYSTEMS

Since the passage of mandatory passive restraint legislation (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208) in 1984, numerous investigators hav e examined patterns of use among the different types of restraint syst ems and user populations. In this paper, we review the available data on usage patterns in automatic shoulder belt and manual lap belt syste ms. The restraint systems involving automatic shoulder belts have gene rally been regarded as highly successful in increasing the use rates o f shoulder belts for American drivers (frequently greater than 90%). A t the same time, the use of the manual lap belt with automatic shoulde r belts remains roughly similar to the use rate for manual three-point systems. We also review studies of driver's knowledge about the exist ence and importance of the elements of these automatic systems. These findings have potential application for the design of manual and autom atic restraint systems in automobiles.