Seat belts: Relations between beliefs, attitude, and use.

A sample of 368 car owners answered a mailed questionnaire constructed on the basis of a model of attitudes toward seat-belt use. A factor analysis yielded a belief pattern interpreted in terms of 5 factors-Discomfort, Worry, Risk, Effect, and Inconvenience. The model appeared useful since an independent measure of attitude to seat-belt use could be predicted (r = .84) from a linear combination of these factor scores. The correlation between the attitude measure and reported use of seat belts was .56, or about the same as that between the belief factor combination and reported use. The combination of the Discomfort and Effect factors gave near optimal predictions (r = .52). Results were replicated on a new sample of 105 drivers. A model of seat-belt use is suggested in which conceptions about discomfort of belt usage and effects of belts in an accident are regarded as determinants of usage. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Estimates of motor vehicle seat belt effectiveness and use: implications for occupant crash protection

Estimates of the effectiveness of seat belts, when used, in reducing motor vehicle occupant deaths vary widely. A recently publicized claim by one analyst that seat belts reduce vehicle occupant deaths 70-80 per cent is based on studies found to contain fundamental systematic error. Deaths occur only 50 per cent less often to belted compared to nonbelted vehicle occupants in crashes, according to previously unanalyzed data from three U.S. states during recent years. New belt systems would be about 60 per cent effective with 100 per cent use. But surveys of observed belt use in 1975 U.S. cars indicate that two-thirds of drivers were not using belts. Prospects for widespread adoption and enforcement of belt use laws in the U.S. are not encouraging. Substantial reductions in fatal and other injuries would result from the adoption of requirements mandating automatic (passive) protection for front seat occupants in crashes with forward decelerations.     

Seat belts: Changing usage by changing beliefs.

Tested a model to predict seat belt use, based on a linear combination of (a) beliefs about discomfort when wearing a seat belt and (b) beliefs about injury reducing effects of seat belts. 154 employees of a large steel company, nonusers of seat belts, were randomly assigned to 1 of 6 groups receiving one or a combination of the following treatments: (a) verbal information stressing the role of seat belts in reducing injury, (b) nonverbal practice in seat belt use, (c) verbal information irrelevant to seat belt use, or (d) no treatment. Groups receiving seat belt information had the most favorable posttest beliefs and displayed the greatest increase in seat belt usage, although the effects generally decreased over time. The Discomfort (D) factor and the model (D * E) were equally predictive, while the Effect (E) factor was predictive only at low values. A multiplicative model is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Seat belts: Opinion effects of law-induced use.

A questionnaire measuring the experience factors Discomfort, Worry, Risk, Effect, and Inconvenience when wearing seat belts was administered to 526 car owners who were from the same population for which the questionnaire had been constructed (G. Fhaner and M. Hane, 1974). A comparison of the groups indicated that the law of compulsory seat belt use had generally brought about more positive opinions regarding use of seat belts. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Flow-injection analysis of cobalt(II) utilizing enhanced lophine chemiluminescence with hydroxylammonium chloride

This study was designed to look at General Practitioner's knowledge of and attitudes to the use of seat belts in pregnancy. It has been shown that correct seat belt use does significantly reduce both maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality following RTAs. However, seat belts are infrequently and often incorrectly utilised by women during pregnancy. Passenger safety education is essential. General Practitioners in Ireland are in a prime position to provide this education in early pregnancy. A postal questionnaire was sent to all members of ICGP (n = 1,780). The results show that 70% of GPs are aware that women are obliged by law to use a seat belt while pregnant, and a similar number felt the subject of passenger safety education is an important medical issue. 75% feel women should wear seat belts in third trimester. However, only 30% provide regular advice and less than 50% indicated that they are aware of the correct advice to give. Also GPs are not asked by their pregnant patients for advice. There is no statistically significant difference between male and female GPs. GPs have the opportunity to and so should provide passenger safety advice. This advice must be accurate and safe.     

Obstructive intestinal herniation due to improper use of a seat belt: a case report

The term "seat belt syndrome" has been used to describe injuries to the abdominal viscera caused by seat belts during car accidents. These injuries are usually sustained as a result of the rapid deceleration that occurs in front-end collisions, with the consequent compression of the abdominal viscera. The spectrum of injuries includes intestinal perforation or stenosis, mesenteric disruption, and lumbar fracture-dislocation. We present an uncommon case of obstructive herniation in a 2-year-old girl which we believe was due to improper use of a seat belt.     

Injuries in restrained motor vehicle accident victims

Passenger restraints reduce fatalities and serious injuries. Restraint systems alter the distribution of injuries seen in accident victims, and they cause a number of injuries. The distribution of injuries is dependent on the type of restraint. Automatic motorized shoulder belts are being used without the accompanying manual lap belt. This greatly reduces the effectiveness of the system and is equal to the two-point shoulder belt of the 1960s. Airbag injuries include abrasions to the face, neck, and chest; minor burns to the upper extremities; and chemical keratitis. Airbags have been shown to reduce injuries overall, especially when used in conjunction with a lap and shoulder belt. Elderly patients incur more rib and sternal fractures due to seat belts than do younger patients. Nevertheless, restraint systems are effective at reducing serious internal injuries in this population. Children who are too large for child safety seats but too small for adult seat belts are at increased risk for injury. Improvement in restraint systems for children in this age range is recommended. All pregnant women should be encouraged to wear seat belts because they reduce maternal injuries, and there is no evidence that they increase the risk of fetal loss. In view of the injury reduction associated with passenger restraint systems, emergency physicians should emphasize to their patients the importance of wearing seat belts.     

Observed and self-reported seat belt wearing as related to prior traffic accidents and convictions

During the summer of 1987, 10,000 color-coded mailback questionnaires that identified belted and unbelted North Carolina drivers were handed out at the 72 sites that constitute the probability sample for determining the statewide belt use rate in North Carolina. By obtaining identifying information to determine the winner of a $500 prize from among the 5,074 respondents, police-reported traffic accident and conviction records from the North Carolina driver history file were linked to the belted and unbelted respondents. Analyses found that drivers who had been observed not wearing seat belts had 35% more accidents and 69% more convictions than did belted drivers in the previous four-year period. Similar findings were obtained from self-reported belt use.     

Promoting safety belt use at industrial sites: An effective program for blue collar employees.

Evaluated an incentive program applicable for large-scale motivation of safety belt wearing at 2 industries (with 300–500 employees each) where it was possible to compare the safety belt use of blue collar (BC) vs white collar (WC) employees. At one plant, incentives were preceded by a 20-min awareness session for BC Ss, which involved group discussions of assets and liabilities of safety belts. The baseline rate of seat belt usage was similar at each plant but was significantly lower for BC (6%) than for WC (18%) Ss. At the plant not receiving group awareness sessions, safety belt use doubled during the 5-mo incentive period (with mean usage of 13% for BC Ss and 32% for WC Ss). The awareness session tripled the BC safety belt use (to 21% mean belt use over a 1-mo period). During the subsequent 5-wk incentive period, mean safety belt use was 41.7% for BC Ss and 35.9% for WC Ss. Safety belt wearing decreased substantially after the incentive program was withdrawn but only returned to the initial baseline level for the BC Ss who had not received the awareness sessions. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Rupture of the bowel due to road trauma: the emergence of the "seat belt syndrome"

Seat belts have proved to be life saving for drivers and passengers involved in motor-car collisions. The number of severe head, face and trunk injuries has been significantly reduced. However, the wearing of belts has been responsible for an increased incidence of bowel rupture, in itself a potentially lethal injury if not diagnosed and treated early. There is still much to be done in improving seat belt design.     

Nonsanction seat belt law enforcement: a modern day tale of two cities

This paper describes the implementation and evaluation of a nonsanction seat belt law enforcement program in two experimental communities of contrasting size in a state with a mandatory belt law. The main ingredients of the program were seat belt "salutes," public information and education, and limited use of inexpensive economic incentives. Driver shoulder belt use data collected before, during, and after the experimental programs, compared to similar data collected in a comparison community, showed the approach to be effective. While standard seat belt enforcement activities without incentives have been shown to be effective, many police departments, especially in smaller communities, are reluctant to make wholesale increases in seat belt citations. Although requiring some additional level of manpower and resources, a nonsanction approach to seat belt law enforcement can provide an alternate way of increasing belt use in these communities.     

Seat belt-related injury to the common iliac artery: case report and review of the literature

Blunt trauma to the common iliac artery is a rare phenomenon. Although seat belt injuries to the abdominal aorta and the carotid artery have been reported, there is only one previous report in the literature of seat belt injury to the common iliac artery. We report a case of common iliac arterial injury directly related to use of the lap belt and not associated with pelvic or lumbar fractures. The literature related to blunt trauma of the common iliac artery is reviewed.     

Penetrating eye injuries associated with motor vehicle accidents

A 2 1/2-year review of penetrating eye injuries resulting from motor vehicle accidents and treated at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, is presented. The series dates from January 1, 1972, when legislation requiring the compulsory wearing of seat belts was introduced. The review shows a downward trend in injuries compared with the previous 6 1/2 years. Almost all the patients failed to wear a lap-and-sash seat belt or, if one was worn, it was not secured properly.     

Lumbar dislocation fracture with paraplegia after pelvic seat belt injury. Case report

This report details a traumatic spinal column lesion due to a lap seat belt. A healthy 22-year-old woman was involved in a car accident and suffered a lumbar luxation fracture at the level L1-L2. She developed acute transsectional symptoms with paraplegia and severe hyperpathia in her legs. Plain radiographs (antero-posterior and lateral projection) and lumbar CT scans demonstrated an instable flexion-distraction fracture with ventral compression of the vertebral body of L2 and ventrolisthesis of L1 over L2. Surgical reposition of the luxation fracture and removal of a spinal epidural hematoma was performed 4 h after the trauma. Stabilization was achieved by monosegmental dorsal transpedicular spondylodesis with a fixateur interne. In follow-up the neurological deficits markedly improved. Six months after the trauma, the patient is able to walk, has no paresis and no genitourinary disturbances: only mild dysesthesia remains. This posttraumatic course confirms that spinal traumas below L1 which spare the conus have a favorable prognosis, because the peripheral nerves of the cauda equina are able to recover. This injured patient was the only one using a lap seat belt; the other four passengers in the same compact car-wearing lap and diagonal seat belts-suffered no harm. We conclude that lap seat belts are not acceptable as an adequate security standard in modern automobile technology.     

Attitudes toward older adults reported by young adults: Variation based on attitudinal task and attribute categories.

Negative attitudes toward older adults are thought to be prevalent within the American culture. However, research on attitudes presents conflicting results. In this study, 2 factors were hypothesized to influence reported attitudes toward older adults: the attitudinal instrument used (a rating task vs. an open-ended task) and the types of attributes assessed (cognitive, personal-expressive, and physical). The results confirmed that attitudes toward older adults were negative relative to attitudes toward younger and middle-aged adults, but the pattern of negativity differed by task and attribute category. Negativity was most apparent in the open-ended task and in the physical category. These results indicate that although general, negative stereotypes may exist, older adults are viewed as multidimensional people with both positive and negative attributes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Disruptions to women's social identity: A comparative study of workplace stress experienced by women in three geographic regions.

Drawing on social identity theory (P. J. Burke, 1991) and the current status of women and equal opportunity legislation, the authors tested several factors associated with distress in working women in the People's Republic of China (PRC), Hong Kong, and the United States. Women in Hong Kong experienced significantly greater levels of life stress than PRC and U.S. women. Reports of negative attitudes toward women, gender evaluation, and avoidance coping were greater for Hong Kong and PRC women than for U.S. women. Hong Kong women reported more use of positive/confrontational coping mechanisms. Negative attitudes toward women had an important influence on life stress across regions. Moderator tests resulted in 2 significant findings: The effect of negative attitudes toward women on life stress was stronger for PRC and Hong Kong women, and the relationship between nervous/self-destructive coping and life stress was stronger for U.S. women. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Seat belts and pregnancy

The best safety for the mother and her unborn child while driving a car is the proper use of a seat belt. Only a correctly constructed and fitted lap-shoulder safety harness should be used. The instruction to wear a seat belt and to wear it correctly should be part of the pregnancy-care-program for each physician.     

Competitive inhibition of swine kidney copper amine oxidase by drugs: amiloride, clonidine, and gabexate mesylate

Carotid artery injuries from seat belt shoulder straps have been reported involving primarily the internal carotid artery. This paper describes a case of common carotid artery disruption and tracheal transection after a shoulder strap seat belt injury. A successful method for management of this rare injury is presented. Repair involved autogenous arterial replacement in a contaminated field using an interposition graft of superficial femoral artery.     

Attitudes toward career counseling: The role of public and self-stigma.

Although many students struggle with career-related issues in college, comparatively few engage the career services offered by their academic institutions for help with their difficulties. In addition, there is little research on the factors influencing students’ decisions to engage in counseling for career-related issues, making it difficult to develop programs to enhance students’ use of career counseling services. The present study examines the relationships between the stigma associated with help seeking and attitudes toward engaging in career counseling. Participants were 509 college students who completed measures of stigma and attitudes toward career counseling. Structural equation modeling results indicated that public and personal stigmas were linked to self-stigma, which in turn was linked to attitudes toward seeking career counseling. Sixty percent of the variance in self-stigma and 42% of the variance in attitudes was accounted for in the model. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Patterns of injury in belted and unbelted individuals presenting to a trauma center after motor vehicle crash: seat belt syndrome revisited

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Investigators have described a "seat belt syndrome" consisting variously of injuries to the lumbar or cervical spine, abdominal contents, or all 3. In this study we sought to identify these and any other patterns of injury associated with seat belt use in patients who presented to a trauma center after a motor vehicle crash. METHODS: The charts of all patients involved in motor vehicle crashes who presented as trauma alerts to the study institution between January 1, 1991, and December 31, 1993, were retrospectively reviewed for data regarding belt use and 35 specific injuries in 7 body regions. We calculated the positive likelihood ratio of injury between belted and unbelted patients, along with 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: We identified 1,124 patients involved in motor vehicle crashes. Of these subjects, 376 were belted and 544 unbelted; in 204 belt status was unknown. Belted patients were more likely to have sustained sternal fracture than were unbelted patients (4% versus .7%; positive likelihood ratio, 1.97; 95% confidence interval, 1.09 to 3.29) but were less likely to have sustained head injury (30.6% versus 46.0%; positive likelihood ratio, .67; 95% confidence interval, .53 to .83). We noted no statistically significant differences in the rates of other specific injuries, including cervical and lumbar fractures and the need for abdominal surgery. CONCLUSION: Severe injuries of all types occur in both belted and unbelted individuals involved in motor vehicle crashes who present to a typical trauma center. With the exception of sternal fractures, injuries previously associated with the seat belt syndrome occurred in similar proportions of belted and unbelted patients. Head injuries were less frequent. Seat belt use cannot serve as a discriminator for specific injury. A diligent search of all body regions is indicated in both belted and unbelted patients.