Authors

  1. Wermert, Amy M. MPH
  2. Mehl, Ann MPH
  3. Opalek, Judy M. PhD
  4. Shaffer, Lynn E. T. PhD

Abstract

Compared with other age groups, teenagers have the lowest rate of safety belt use. We sought to determine whether an ongoing, student-led initiative would be effective in increasing safety belt use among high school students compared with another school in which the intervention did not take place. At the intervention school, there was a statistically significant increase of 15% in observed safety belt use and evidence of increased knowledge regarding proper safety belt use. High schools can be effective in changing the traffic safety behaviors of its students.