Implementing a Standard Enforcement Seat Belt Law in Your State: A How-to GuideImplementing 
an Integrated Campaign

The successful implementation of a standard seat belt law requires an integrated 
approach to the task. The steps necessary to achieving high seat belt use rates, 
as outlined in this guide, cannot be separated from one another; each step in 
the process builds upon, reinforces and complements the actions taken before. 
Model states have demonstrated that, to fully leverage the value of a standard 
law, enforcement must be combined with education, and the results of enforcement 
must be accurately collected and effectively communicated.

When implementing a standard law, each State can and should customize the 
necessary elements to meet its own needs, budget and expectations. Use the 
resources outlined on the next page to see how other states have done this to 
achieve high seat belt use rates. Your NHTSA Regional Office, as well as the 
NHTSA web site, can also provide a wealth of information on seat belt laws, 
implementation and other traffic safety topics.

Implementing a Standard Enforcement Seat Belt Law in Your State: A How-to GuideResources

NHTSA web site—www.nhtsa.dot.gov.

Buckle Up America web site—www.buckleupamerica.org.

Standard law State contacts—See Appendix I.

Standard law case studies—There are several case studies available detailing how 
individual states approached the dual challenges of passing and implementing 
standard seat belt laws. To view these case studies, go to: 
www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/airbags/buckleplan/cases/index.html.

Elmira, NY, case study—For detailed information on the Elmira, NY, STEP program, 
which achieved a 90 percent seat belt use rate, contact the Insurance Institute 
for Highway Safety in Arlington, VA, at (703) 247-1500 or visit its web site at 
www.highwaysafety.org.

The uses of various media channels—Earned media, paid media and PSAs are all 
viable media channels for an implementation campaign. To read a media buyer’s 
guide on the elements, management, advantages and disadvantages of these 
channels, go to www.buckleupamerica.org.

Sample implementation timeline—See Appendix II.

Sample observational survey—See Appendix III.

Sample in-person survey—See Appendix IV.

Sample law enforcement checkpoint report—See Appendix V.

Implementing a Standard Enforcement Seat Belt Law in Your State: A How-to GuideAppendix 
I: Standard Law State Contracts

As of April 2001, there were 17 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, 
the Virgin Islands and 3 Pacific Territories with standard seat belt laws. For 
detailed information on seat belt laws, implementation and other traffic safety 
topics, contact the following NHTSA regional offices:

      NHTSA Regional OfficesPhoneStandard Law States

      NHTSA Region 1
      Cambridge, MA(617) 494-3427Connecticut
      NHTSA Region 2
      White Plains, NY(914) 682-6162New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, Virgin 
      Islands
      NHTSA Region 3
      Baltimore, MD(410) 962-0090District of Columbia, Maryland
      NHTSA Region 4
      Atlanta, GA(404) 562-3739Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina
      NHTSA Region 5
      Olympia Fields, IL(708) 503-8822Indiana, Michigan
      NHTSA Region 6
      Fort Worth, TX(817) 978-3653Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas
      NHTSA Region 7
      Kansas City, MO(816) 329-3900Iowa
      NHTSA Region 8
      CO(303) 969-6917(At present, all states in Region VIII have secondary 
laws)
      NHTSA Region 9
      San Francisco, CA(415) 744-3089California, Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, 
      Marianas
      NHTSA Region 10
      Seattle, WA(206) 220-7640Oregon

Implementing a Standard Enforcement Seat Belt Law in Your State: A How-to GuideAppendix 
II: Sample Timeline

Used by Elmira, NY

      JUNE

      6/15Hold initial meeting on roles and responsibilities, funding, overall 
      program goals
      JULY

      7/15Finalize roles and responsibilities, overall schedule, program 
      elements Contract with public relations firm
      AUGUST

      8/2Specify media mix to carry theme
      8/10 Develop campaign theme
      8/11Meet with enforcement agencies to discuss enforcement plan and agency 
      roles
      8/16Schedule pre-program presentations to service organizations, editorial 
      boards, and other community groups
      8/20Write copy for news releases, mock tickets, banners, print ads, radio 
      ads, posters, magnetic cruiser door signs and fact sheets
      8/27Establish relationships with police agencies for overtime services
      SEPTEMBER

      9/1Create schedules specifying media mix and placement of advertisements
      9/17Book all paid time (radio) and space (print), schedule enforcement 
      including overtime coordinated across agencies, develop plan to attract 
      news coverage
      9/24Pre-program presentations to community groups; produce mock tickets, 
      banners, print ads, radio ads, posters and cruiser door signs
      9/30Conduct baseline belt use observations
      OCTOBER

      10/1Begin daily belt use observations for feedback signs
      10/4Hold initial news conference, distribute mock tickets, hang banners 
      and posters, begin advertising and publicity, unveil feedback signs
      10/11Begin enforcement; hold media event to highlight enforcement kickoff; 
      monitor belt use rates and number of tickets issued
      10/22Achieve 90% belt use
      10/25Announce results to media and thank all participants

Implementing a Standard Enforcement Seat Belt Law in Your State: A How-to GuideAppendix 
III: Sample Driver/Passenger Seat Belt Observational Survey

Location: ____________________________________________________________

Survey date: ____________________________________________________________

Day of week:   [_] Mon.   [_] Tues.   [_] Wed.   [_] Thurs.   [_] Fri.   [_] 
Sat.   [_] Sun.

Start time: ____________________   End time: ____________________

Direction traffic observed:   [_] North   [_] South   [_] East   [_] West

Observer(s): ___________________________________________________________ 

   
Implementing a Standard Enforcement Seat Belt Law in Your State: A How-to GuideAppendix 
IV: Sample In-Person/Public Opinion Survey

The Division of Motor Vehicles is assisting in a study about seat belts. Your 
answers to the following questions are voluntary and anonymous. Please complete 
the survey and then put it in the drop box.

1. Your sex   [_] Male   [_] Female

2. Your age   [_] Under 21   [_] 21–25   [_] 26–39   [_] 40–49   [_] 45–59   [_] 
60+

3. Your race   [_] White   [_] Black   [_] Asian   [_] Native American   [_] 
Other

4. Are you of Spanish/Hispanic origin?   [_] Yes   [_] No

5. Your zip code: ____________________

6. About how many miles did you drive last year?
   [_] Less than 5,000   [_] 5,000–10,000   [_] 10,001–15,000   [_] More than 
15,000

7. What type of vehicle do you drive most often?
   [_] Passenger car   [_] Pickup truck   [_] Sport utility vehicle
   [_] Mini-van   [_] Full van   [_] Other

8. How often do you use seat belts when you drive or ride in a car, van, sport 
utility vehicle or pickup truck?
   [_] Always   [_] Nearly always   [_] Sometimes   [_] Seldom   [_] Never

9. What do you think the chances are of getting a ticket if you don’t wear your 
seat belt?
   [_] Always   [_] Nearly always   [_] Sometimes   [_] Seldom   [_] Never

10. Do you think the Highway Patrol enforces the seat belt law?
   [_] Very strictly   [_] Somewhat strictly   [_] Not very strictly   [_] 
Rarely   [_] Never

11. Do you think local police enforce the seat belt law?
   [_] Very strictly   [_] Somewhat strictly   [_] Not very strictly   [_] 
Rarely   [_] Never

12. Have you ever received a ticket for not wearing your seat belt?
   [_] Yes   [_] No

13. In the past month, have you seen or heard about a checkpoint where police 
were looking at seat belt use?
   [_] Yes   [_] No

14. In the past month, have you gone through a checkpoint where police were 
looking at seat belt use?
   [_] Yes   [_] No

15. Have you recently read, seen or heard anything about seat belts in your 
state?
   [_] Yes   [_] No

If yes, where did you see or hear about it? (check all that apply)
   [_] Newspaper   [_] Radio   [_] TV   [_] Poster
   [_] Brochure   [_] Police checkpoint   [_] Other

If yes, what did it 
say?____________________________________________________________

16. Do you know the name of any seat belt enforcement program(s) in your state? 
(check all that apply)
   [_] No Excuses, Buckle Up
   [_] Buckle Up America
   [_] Click It or Ticket
   [_] Operation 35, Buckle Up Stay Alive

Implementing a Standard Enforcement Seat Belt Law in Your State: A How-to GuideApéndice 
V: Ejemplo de Formulario sobre Estudio de Opinión Pública

DMV está ayudando en un estudio sobre cinturones de seguridad en su estado. Sus 
respuestas a las siguientes preguntas son voluntarias y anónimas. Porfavor 
completar este formulario y coloquelo en la caja indicada.

1. Su sexo   [_] Masculino   [_] Femenino

2. Su edad   [_] Menor de 21 anos   [_] 21–25   [_] 26–39   [_] 40–49   [_] 
45–59   [_] 60+

3. Su Raza   [_] Blanco   [_] Negro   [_] Asiático   [_] Indígena (US)   [_] 
Otro

4. ¿Es usted de origen Español/Hispano?    [_] Si   [_] No

5. Su codigo postal (Zip): ____________________

6. ¿Aproximadamente cuántas millas manejo usted el año pasado?
   [_] Menos de 5,000   [_] 5,000 a 10,000   [_] 10,001 a 15,000   [_] Más de 
15,000

7. ¿Qué tipo de automovil maneja usted frecuentemente?
   [_] Automobil de pasajeros   [_] Camioneta (Pickup)
   [_] Automobil de recreo (SUV)   [_] Mini-vagoneta (Van)
   [_] Vagoneta (Van)    [_] Otro

8. ¿Qué tan frecuentemente usa usted el cinturón de seguridad cuando maneja o es 
pasajero dentro de un coche, vagoneta automovil de recreo o camioneta?
   [_] Siempre   [_] Casi siempre   [_] Algunas veces   [_] Rara vez   [_] Nunca

9. ¿Qué cree que son las probabilidades de que le den una multa por no usar el 
cinturón de seguridad?
   [_] Siempre   [_] Casi siempre   [_] Algunas veces   [_] Rara vez   [_] Nunca

10. ¿Cree usted que la Patrulla de Carreteras exije que la ley del cinturón de 
seguridad se cumpla?
   [_] Muy estrictamente   [_] Un poco estrictamente   [_] No muy estrictamente
   [_] Rara vez    [_] Nunca

11. ¿Cree usted que la policia local exije que la ley del cinturón de seguridad 
se cumpla?
   [_] Muy estrictamente   [_] Un poco estrictamente   [_] No muy estrictamente
   [_] Rara vez    [_] Nunca

12. ¿Ha recibido usted alguna vez una multa por no usar su cinturón de 
seguridad?
   [_] Si   [_] No

13. ¿En el mes pasado ha usted visto o oído sobre un punto de inspección donde 
la policia estaba chequeando el uso de cinturones de seguridad?
   [_] Si   [_] No

14. ¿En el mes anterior ha usted pasado atravez de un punto de inspección donde 
la policia estaba chequeando el uso de cinturones de seguridad?
   [_] Si   [_] No

15. ¿Ha líedo, visto o oído usted recientemente algo sobre cinturones de 
seguridad en su estado?
   [_] Si   [_] No

Si contesto si, ¿Donde lo vió o oyó? (Marque todas las casillas que 
correspondan)
   [_] Periodico   [_] Radio   [_] Television   [_] Carteles
   [_] Folleto   [_] Punto de inspección Policial   [_] Otro

Si contesto si, ¿Qué 
decía?____________________________________________________________

16. ¿Conoce usted el nombre de algun programa(s) de la ley de cinturones de 
seguridad en su estado?
   [_] No hay excusas, Abrochese (No Excuses, Buckle Up)
   [_] Abrochese America (Buckle Up America)
   [_] Abrochese o multa (Click It or Ticket)
   [_] Operación 35, Abrochate y Mantente Vivo (Operation 35, Buckle Up Stay 
Alive)

Implementing a Standard Enforcement Seat Belt Law in Your State: A How-to GuideAppendix 
VI: Sample Checkpoint Report

Used by Elmira, NY

Host agency: ____________________________________________________________

Contact person: ______________________________   Phone: 
______________________________

Date of report: ____________________

Enforcement Information

Date of checkpoint: ____________________

Start time: ____________________   End time: ____________________

General location: ____________________________________________________________

      Participating agencies

      ______________________________

      ______________________________

      ______________________________

      Number of officers

      ______________________________

      ______________________________

      ______________________________

      ViolationsNumber of ticketsNumber of persons arrested
      Seat belt  
      Child restraint  
      Speed  
      Other moving violations  
      Non-moving violations   
      DWI/DWAI-related  
      Non-traffic misdemeanor  
      Non-traffic felony  

Describe significant incidents including non-traffic arrests:

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________