Technical Report Page

Executive Summary

Introduction

Defining the Problem

Fatalities

Gender and Other Characteristics

Laws Pertaining to Children and Cargo Areas

Focus Groups: Background

Moderator's Guide and Topics of Discussion

Focus Groups: Findings

Focus Group Participants' Attitudes Toward Safety Measures

Focus Group Participants' Safety Belt Use

Focus Group Participants' Responses to Specific Reasons/Approaches

Focus Group Responses to Existing Campaign Approaches - English-Speaking Group

Focus Group Responses to Existing Campaign Approaches - Hispanic Group

Campaign Component Development - English-Speaking Group

Campaign Component Development - Hispanic Group

Conclusions

References

List of Tables

List of Figures

Appendices

Home

Summary of State Safety Belt Laws as of November 2000

Exemptions in State Safety Belt Laws

Many States allow legal exemptions to their occupant protection laws. Also, States vary regarding the legality of whom is responsible for passengers' use of safety belts. The following exemptions are common across States:

• A physician has certified in writing that the use of safety belts is inappropriate for the person, with the nature of the condition stated;
  
• The person is a rural mail carrier of the US Postal Service operating a motor vehicle in the performance of employment, usually from first stop to last stop;
  
• The person is a driver or passenger frequently stopping and leaving the motor vehicle or delivering property from the vehicle;
  
• The person is the operator of agricultural equipment;
  
• The person is a member of the emergency personnel of an emergency motor vehicle or a passenger in an emergency vehicle;
  
• The motor vehicle the person is occupying is a bus or taxi or other vehicle for hire; and
  
• The vehicle was not manufactured with safety belts.

As of November 2000, when this project was initiated, and this task within the project was completed, four States had laws that were different for pickup truck occupants as compared with other passenger vehicles. The States were Georgia (exempts pickup trucks altogether), Indiana (exempts trucks), Missouri (exempts trucks greater than 12,000 pounds, and occupants in cargo beds when all seats are occupied and vehicle is only means of immediate family transportation), and Oregon (exempts trucks greater than 8,000 pounds and not considered to be a commercial vehicle). Additionally, New Hampshire does not currently have an adult safety belt law. Appendix D lists details of each State's occupant protection laws and enforcement protocols as of November 2000, which is when this section of the research was completed. Again, on the basis of the laws at this time and other factors determined by the researcher and NHTSA, focus group site selection was determined in order to complete the intent of this project.