Evaluation of the Buckle Up in Your Truck Program [Report]

In 2006 and 2007, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska participated in a program called Buckle Up in Your Truck, which consisted of a two-week, high-visibility, seat belt enforcement effort that preceded the National May (CIOT)mobilization each year. Paid media and intensified enforcement were the two key components and focused on young male occupants of pickup trucks while enforcement focused on all unbuckled vehicle occupants. Both components were followed by CIOT. An average of 5 cents per capita was spent on paid media during each phase of BUIYT and CIOT, achieving about 350 gross rating points in each of 18 media markets for each week of the program. The citation rate, averaged across the states, was 15 to 17 citations per 10,000 population. The public awareness of general messages to buckle up (80%) was greater than the public awareness of ongoing enforcement efforts (68%).  Awareness of messages to BUIYT reached levels of just under 40 percent. Observed seat belt usage increased in all four states and in all vehicle types. Two-year increases in pickup trucks ranged from 3 to 14 percentage points (an average of 8 points). These results were similar to those of previous BUIYT efforts, combined with CIOT, in NHTSA Regions 4 and 6.