Appendix A. Safety Belt Observation Instructions

• Qualifying vehicles include passenger automobiles, pickup trucks, recreational vehicles, jeeps, or vans (private, public and commercial). Pickup trucks should be coded as “trucks.” Jeeps, Broncos, Blazers, and other vehicles of that type should be coded as sport utility vehicles. Eligible vehicles should be observed regardless of the State in which they are registered.
  
  
• Belt use will be observed for front seat occupants only. Observe and record data for the driver and passenger seated closest to the right side of the front seat. If there is more than one front seat passenger, observe only the “outside” passenger. The passenger observed need not be in the seat closest to the passenger door, just the passenger closest to that position. Do not record data for passengers in the back seat or for a third passenger riding in the middle of the front seat.
  
  
• If a child is present in the front seat in a child restraint seat, do not record anything. However, children riding in the front seat, regardless of age, who are not in child restraint seats should be observed as any other front seat passenger. If a child is seated on the lap of the right-most seated passenger, code the gender of the lap-owner and N for belt use.
  
  
• Each observation period will last for exactly 60 minutes.
  

The following procedures will be used in conducting observations of safety belt use:

1. As you observe a qualifying vehicle, record the type of vehicle (car, truck, SUV, van), the occupants’ sex (male or female), and shoulder restraint use (yes or no) of the front seat occupants (driver and front seat “outside” passenger only).
   
   
2. If you notice a lap belt in use without a shoulder belt, it should be recorded as not restrained. Only shoulder belts are to be counted. Even if the vehicle likely has no shoulder belts, code the occupant(s) as not restrained.
   
   
3. If the person is using the shoulder belt improperly, e.g., has the shoulder strap under his/her arm or behind the back, this should be recorded as not restrained.
   
   
4. If traffic is light enough and you can see well, observe traffic moving in both directions (and indicate it by circling both directions on the form).
   
   
5. If you are observing a multiple-lane roadway, if traffic is light enough and you can see well, observe traffic in all lanes. If traffic is too heavy, observe traffic in one lane at a time, each lane for an equal amount of time, and in the direction specified, throughout the 60-minute observation time-period.
   
   
6. In many situations, it will be possible to observe every vehicle in the designated lane(s). However, if there is too much traffic for you to observe every vehicle, you should determine a reference point up the road in the appropriate lane. Observe the next vehicle to pass the reference point after the last vehicle has been coded.
   
   
7. If you believe there will be too many vehicles to code every one, for 10 minutes immediately before the observation period and for 10 minutes immediately after the observation period, count all passenger vehicles as they pass and write the two tallies on the first data page.
   
   
8. Do not observe if it is raining or foggy or if other inclement weather arises. If you arrive at a site and it begins to rain, do not collect data in the rain. Find a dry place and wait 15 minutes to see if the rain stops. If the rain does stop, begin observing again and extend the observation period to make up for the time missed. Otherwise, you will have to reschedule the site. (Note: observer may continue observations in light fog, drizzle, or mist).
   
   
9. If more than one data sheet are used, staple the sheets together at the end of the observation period and note the number of sheets used at the top of the first data page.
   
   
10. It may happen that the site you are assigned is seriously compromised due to construction. If this occurs, you may move one block in either direction on the same street such that you are observing the same stream of traffic that would have normally been observed had there been no obstruction. If moving one block will not solve the problem, then do not conduct the observation, but follow procedures for identifying and observing at an alternative site.