ABOUT THIS REPORT

The transcript from the meeting was used as the basis for the remainder of this report. Quotations from the expert panelists are indicated in the text; however, names are not used to protect confidentiality. The free-flowing nature of the discussion led to multiple topics being discussed throughout the day; key themes and ideas that recurred are emphasized in the text of this report. This report summarizes and details the discussion as it pertained to several main topical areas: (1) issues broadly related to risk communication and specifically those factors which are more relevant in their application to safety belts; (2) what makes safety belts a unique risk communication issue; (3) general recommendations to encourage the use of safety belts; (4) specific recommendations related to unconscious defense mechanisms; and, (5) suggestions for further research. The report ends with a summary and conclusions.