May 2006 Click It or Ticket Seat Belt Mobilization Evaluation: Final Report [Report]

This study evaluated NHTSAs 2006 National (CIOT)mobilization. This intense, short-duration, seat belt publicity and enforcement mobilization cost approximately $27 million for paid advertising that delivered an enforcement based message urging people to wear a seat belt or risk getting a citation.  Between May 22 and June 4, 2006, law enforcement agencies issued more than 697,000 seat belt citations. Public awareness of the media message was high.  Seat belt use increased in 37 of 50 States and Territories.  The number of States reporting increases in statewide seat belt use and the amount of increase has been shrinking each succeeding year since national mobilizations began in 2002.  In 2006, paid publicity decreased from levels between 2002 through 2005. The number of seat belt citations issued by law enforcement agencies also decreased in 2006.  The National Occupant Protection Usage Survey indicated the nationwide seat belt use rate did not improve between 2005 and 2006.  This report also includes results from other NHTSA demonstration programs that are searching for productive modifications to the typical CIOT process.