The study — published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine — examined the result of on primary and secondary seat belt laws on motor vehicle crash fatality rates. Primary seat belt laws allow vehicle occupants to be ticketed solely for not wearing seat belts, whereas secondary laws allow ticketing only for failure to wear seat belts in the setting of other violations.
Between 2001 and 2010, researchers identified more than 283,000 motor vehicle crash fatalities in occupants aged 10 years or older in the Fatality Analysis Reporting System.
Here are three findings from the study:
- In 2001, the mean fatality rate was 14.6 per 100 000 persons, 16 states had primary seat belt laws and 33 states had secondary laws.
- In 2010, the mean fatality rate was 9.7 per 100 000 persons, 30 states had primary seat belt laws and 19 states had secondary laws.
- States with primary seat belt laws had lower motor vehicle crash fatality rates than states with secondary laws.
Lead researcher and emergency medicine specialist at Boston Children’s Hospital, Lois Lee, MD, told Reuters Health, “The take home message is, regardless of what type of law your state has, you and all your passengers should wear a seat belt every time with every ride in the car since seat belts are the most effective means of decreasing injury and death in the event of a car crash.”
More articles on population health:
Novel population health program improves health in older adults with depression
The population health management conundrum: Overcoming challenges to sustainable PHM strategies
US Treasury allocates $55M in tax credits to improve primary care in underserved communitiesUS Treasury allocates $55M in tax credits to improve primary care in underserved communities
