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home / centre for automotive safety research / Publications / List / Details Publication Details| Title | Potential effectiveness of seat belt interlocks | | Authors | Searson DJ, Anderson RWG | | Year | 2013 | | Type | Conference Paper | | Abstract | Seat belt interlocks are a vehicle safety technology that aims to increase seat belt usage by restricting the vehicle from being driven until occupants have fastened their seat belts. The aim of this study was to estimate the potential effectiveness of mandatory seat belt interlocks on new vehicles. Three data sets were used to obtain vehicle age profiles for unrestrained drivers: an observational study from 2009 (belt use 98%), hospital admission data from 2008-2010 (belt use 89%), and Coroner’s report data from 2008 (belt use 66%). A hypothetical scenario was considered in which seat belt interlocks were made mandatory in all new vehicle models from 2015 onwards. Under this scenario, the vehicle age profiles from each dataset were used to examine the time it would take for seat belt interlocks to be found in vehicles driven by those who would otherwise not be wearing a seat belt. These results were used to calculate a ‘best case’ estimate of the potential effectiveness of seat belt interlocks: by 2030 there would be a potential 2% reduction in injuries requiring hospital admission, and a 7% reduction in fatalities. By 2050 these values would approach 5% and 16% respectively. These reductions would apply on top of any casualty savings already made through enhanced vehicle technologies, infrastructure and regulations. Despite the relatively long time required for interlocks to reach maximum effectiveness, the low cost and complexity of introducing seat belt interlocks means that their introduction should be encouraged | | Conference Name | Road Safety Research, Policing and Education Conference 2013 | | Conference Abbreviation | RSR 2013 | | Conference Location | Brisbane | | Conference Date | 28-30 August 2013 |
| Reference | | Searson DJ, Anderson RWG (2013). Potential effectiveness of seat belt interlocks. Road Safety Research, Policing and Education Conference 2013, Brisbane, 28-30 August 2013. |
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