Vol. 21, No.5. of California's are nh~'u1ino the state's new belt use researchers for Insurance Institute report.

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1 n Vol. 21, No.5 Belt use has increased over well below of California's are nh~'u1ino the state's new belt use researchers for Insurance Institute report 'TO'"'C conducted March in nine California cities showed belt use ranges from a of 47 1lJ... ""... among San Francisco drivers and front seat passengers, to low percent in Visalia, small city south of Fresno in southern California. On intercity routes, belt use percent. P The Institute surveys disclose, consistent with in other states, that belt use varies with the highest usage rates generally seen in the areas on major routes cities. results in California are not as in some other states, belt climbed over rates seen before the California law became effective. In October, the Institute belt use among front seat in cities from 24 percent in San Luis to belt use on intercity routes was 33 The California law became effective police were to on 10 at about 6:45 to on Southfield ed road outside Detroit with a 1982 Cordoba 1-1I"'~'ToI1nnr direction veered into Rancour's "This guy came across the double " says Rancour. "It to that he 1""\1I"',,,h':Bhl'T lost consciousness or like that." Rancour hit the the two vehicles colwith the front end the Cordoba's front fender. said he had traveling about mph before the but his didn't have time to slow much. could see what was going on The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is an independent, nonprofit, scientific and educational organization. It is dedicated to reducing the lossesdeaths, injuries and property damage-resulting frem crashes on the nation's highways. The Institute is supported by the American Insurance Safety Association, the American Insure:-s Highway Safety Alliance, the National Association of Independent Insurers Safety Association and individual insurance companies.

2 2-IIHS Status Vol. No.5, 1986 BY BRIAN O'NEILL A recent newspaper article concluded that traveling faster than 55 is safer than obeying the law because accidents are caused by variance in If we raise the limit, article contended, we'll reduce speed variation and thereby reduce the number of crashes. There's a of truth in this - speed variance is a factor in crashes but a grain. is important precisely because it reduces variance. According to the National Academy of Sciences, the source of the most COJmr»reJlerlsn/e assessment of the effects of the present "the percentage motorists 65 on rural interstates declined from to 9 percent the first year the 55 limit was in effect. As result, the variance of on interstate hh!hwavs narrowed considerably. The article was wrong it said there is no statistical between average speed and the according to the National ~Clen(~eS" "the reduced and more uniform brought about 55 limit coincidprc)no'unlcea decline in rates... The 55 limit appears to be a factor ':ll"'t""11inf-'lnn for the reductions. " dramatic...,...,...il-.. ","'''''' cent of all drivers were going 79 mph or faster. in the United States, about 15 percent of all motorists are traveling faster than 65 in both countries, about the same proportion of motorists are exceeding the speed limits - very different limits - about 10 The move to repeal the 70 limit was not successful, in part because of the expectation...i..i..f\.lu,.a...il.\,.& that even an 80 limit would be disregarded by many motorists. The facts are thus Fifty-five is one of the most effective death- and programs ever implemented. (It wasn't adopted to save lives, but that with savings have been the What need to reduce speed variance and highway crashes is not a speed limit but better enforcement the limit. lui IIitI 1985.

3 IIHS Status Report, Vol. No.5, A."VI...M~.AA Administration is C"OOV"'II'14I.nr... "'""... for the National... "IIlvh'l[Tt'l"(T Administration's tions and research in and an additional million for its state and comprogram.. In 1986, NHTSA received million for its and research programs, but the has cut to million as a result of the Gramm-Rudman... rul1l1.,..nrc' law across-theboard cuts among federal agt~ncles. The program in the NHTSA is a for $5 million for the National """''-''-'UIIJU..l.lL Protection Program created to Implt~m~ent,p{"'rpt~l"'T Elizabeth Dole's sion on automatic restraints. r'l.nnroc"c" set aside "-V"""""V.''"''V''"'' on 7)

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6 6-IIHS Status Report, Vol. 21, No.5, April Ten states and the District of Columbia face the loss of 5 percent of their federal highway funds, unless they enact acceptable laws prohibiting the purchase and public possession of alcoholic beverages to persons under the ageof21. On March 26, Transportation Secretary Elizabeth Dole notified the governors of the states and the Mayor of the drinking age eliminate the 'blood borders' - liaj'vlinli"'n teenagers cross state to take advantage a lower drinking age. " District of Columbia of their potential loss of funds, and told another 21 governors that under a final rule just issued, their funding may also be cut because of apparent nonconformity with federal law. The law, PL requires the Department of Transportation to withhold 5 percent of a state's highway apportionment beginning October 1 if it has failed to set 21 as the minimum age for purchase and public possession of alcoholic beverages. The penalty will rise to 10 percent a year later. Under legislation recently signed by President Reagan, states without conforming laws will lose 10 percent oftheir funds permanently after "A uniform drinking age will eliminate the 'blood borders' - where teenagers have a positive incentive to drink and drive, to cross state lines to take advantage of a lower drinking age," Dole said. The final rule provides that: State laws may define "public possession" to mean that there are limited exemptions for persons under 21 who handle alcohol for job-related purposes, or as part of a religious ceremony, or have medical reasons for consumption. addition, state laws that exempt minors when they are accompanied by a parent, spouse, or legal guardian aged 21 or more, will be considered in conformity with the federal rule. No military exemptions will be permitted by DOT. States that permit consumption of 3.2 percent beer by persons under 21 will also lose highway funds. States that prohibit the purchase but not the public possession of alcoholic beverages by persons under 21 may also lose highway money. The governors have 30 days to respond to the Secretary's notification. Youthful people account for more than half of all drinking drivers who are fatally injured in crashes, yet they comprise far less than half of those arrested for drivwhile intoxicated, researchers for the Public Services Research Institute and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety report. Studies have consistently shown that drivers under the age of 20 are arrested for driving while intoxicated only one-quarter to one-third as often as they appear in the alcohol involved fatal crash population. And, for drivers in the 20 to age bracket, the proportion is two-thirds to three-fourths, the researchers note. a very small portion of that difference can be attributed to a of teens to be involved in alcoholrelated crashes at blood alcohol concentrations lower than the usual limit of 10 percent, the report says.. "The reasons for the underrepresentation of young drivers in the arrested population are not fully known and require further study, the authors say. Since youthful drivers constitute such a large part ofthe alcohol-related crash problem, the group should be more appropriately targeted for enforcement purposes. The paper, "Differences in of Arrested and Crash- Involved Drinking Drivers," by Robert B. Voas and Allan F. Williams will appear in an upcoming issue of the Journal Studies in Alcohol. For a copy write: Publications, Insurance Institute for Safety, Watergate Washington, D.C r

7 IIHS Status Vol. No.5, 26, In response to questions about what percentage of the seat belt education program funds are being spent on automatic restraints, NHTSA administrator Diane Steed told a Senate subcommittee that she could not provide -'..I.,-&AA.a...""",...,.;,.. because automatic restraint education is "in everything.. " However, Steed conceded that most of NHTSA's program efforts have focused on belt use laws.. 3) 1) tickets immediately, most jurisdictions chose to issue only ''IT.r:l1ro1l'''U1r\lY tickets for the first 60 days.. Therefore, the stitute's survey was timed coincide with the end of the informal warning period and the beginning of more active enforcement.. However, under the statute, motorists cannot be cited for the belt use law unless they have been stopped for some other infraction.. As in earlier surveys conducted the observers riding in vans recorded belt use of front seat riding on routes in and around cities both before and after the law was in effect.. Separately, California's Office of Traffic Safety reports that a survey showed somewhat higher belt use with driver belt use in areas ranging from a low of 29 to percent in,. other researchers report belt use,..,"".li.j,....li.... runs below the Connecticut.. researchers for the state have belt use rates in excess of 60 since forcing law February. was 67 ~.o'll.""".o'll~~ be belt use was 42 ILl In New that a 1985 with 18 """".0" "'... conducted by the J!...lI..lI.";'I-"''-'l.411,."", belt use from 19 of in the '-JA. In before the... J... u and the belt use, 57 percent, was seen major intercity routes. In where a belt use law became effective 'lo..'o..."...o..."..,. "':::10'11" 6, the Office of Highway Safety reports that belt use of drivers rose from 23 percent in to 46 in November. varies widely around the state, with the western and northeastern regions risfrom 7 to about 30 percent and from 33 to 57 percent areas. The Institute's belt use survey results in New New and Texas have been summarized in a paper, "Shoulder Use Four States With Belt Use JoAnn K. and Adrian K.. For write: Insurance Institute Safety, Watergate II.4.I..1.1.li...Jl.,...'_..., D.C Consumers who wish to

8 Virginia will raise alcohol from to has increased over but well below half of California's motorists are obeying the state's new seat belt use Institute researchers report. 1.. AIR Auto collision convinces Aetna auditor of the safety value of air UU.l~"""JI. 55 Fifty-five is one of the most effective death and injury-preventing programs ever imp'lemented, says Brian Institute president. 2 Americans still support the national speed limit of 55 pollsters for the report....page 2 EX:PE:RIIEI'ICIE: Air bags installed in government fleet cars have worked well in a growing number of crashes, NHTSA reports....page r:j;lra~~hii;;s With only eight months of 1985 the number of truck crashes reported to BMCS is percent higher than the record 37,323 collisions reported in Page 5 LICENSING for truck drivers is favored by most adult Americans, a poll conducted for the reveals. 5 Idaho, Iowa, and Washington are the latest states to enact seat belt use bringing the number of jurisdictions with the laws to...page Ten states and the District of Columbia face the loss of 5 percent of their federal highway unless they enact acceptable laws prohibiting the purchase and public possession of alcoholic beverages to persons under the age of Page 6 ncuvib:c~ account for more than half of all drinking drivers who are fatally injured in crashes, yet they comprise far less than half of those arrested for driving while intoxicated, researchers report....page 6 1I11l...,,...'iId'. NHTSA reports more than 5.6 million cars, trucks, buses, recreational vehicles and motorcycles were recalled in 1985 for safety related defects or failure to comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. 7 If you are not now receiving Status on a regular basis, but would like to, simply drop a note to the Communications Department at the address below and we will add your name to the mailing list. (Contents may be republished whole, or in part, with attribution.) Watergate 600 Washington, D.C / Production: Sheila "'i:u';ii\.~iun, DiaharDn ISSN X