Traffic Safety Facts

Traffic Tech – Technology Transfer Series

Number 376 May 2009

U.S. Department of Transportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Seat belt use in pickup trucks is lower than in any other type Enforcement

of passenger vehicle on the road. In 2006, during daytime During the BUIYT and CIOT phases, all four States intensi- hours, 40% of pickup truck fatalities were restrained com- fied seat belt enforcement. In 2006, States targeted one week pared with 60% of fatalities in passenger cars. This situation of enforcement during the BUIYT phase and two weeks worsens at night when just 24% of pickup truck fatalities during the CIOT phase. In 2007, they targeted two weeks of were restrained compared with 42% of passenger car occu- enforcement during each phase. On average, police issued pants. In 2008, observed seat belt use in pickup trucks was about 3 to 4 citations per 10,000 residents during the BUIYT 74%, well below the 83% national seat belt use rate. Seat belt phases, and an average of 11 citations per 10,000 residents for use in pickup trucks is significantly lower in rural areas and the two-week CIOT period. Although the CIOT rates were secondary law States. In addition, pickup trucks experienced higher than the BUIYT rates, they were lower than those twice as many fatal crashes in rural areas, compared with reported for several past benchmark efforts. Iowa and Kansas urban areas, and they were twice as likely as passenger cars had higher citation rates than either Missouri or Nebraska. to roll over in a crash. 

Awareness In May 2006 and 2007, just prior to the national Click It or Public awareness of the 2006 and 2007 BUIYT and CIOT pro- Ticket (CIOT) high-visibility seat belt enforcement mobiliza- grams increased in every State. In 2006 and 2007, there were tion, four States in NHTSA’s Region 7 (Iowa, Kansas, Mis- large differences between the BUIYT and the CIOT phases. souri and Nebraska) implemented an additional seat belt 

enforcement program called Buckle Up in Your Truck (BUIYT). 

This program sought to increase seat belt use in pickup 

trucks by making occupants aware of the dangers of riding 

unbuckled and of ongoing seat belt enforcement efforts. Key 

components of the program are paid media, earned media, 

enforcement, outreach, evaluation, and coordination. Immediately following the BUIYT phase, all four States conducted 

statewide CIOT campaigns, which included additional paid 

media and enforcement. This is NHTSA’s third regionwide 

seat belt program focusing on low-use pickup trucks.

Media

The BUIYT and CIOT media campaigns targeted 18 media 

markets serving over 13 million residents throughout 

Region 7 with enforcement ads. States spent $1.1 million on 

paid advertising for the combined BUIYT and CIOT programs in 2006, and $1.2 million in 2007. This represents 4 

to 5 cents per capita spent on media for each phase in each 

year, or about 9 to 10 cents per capita total. Each State’s 

media program achieved at least 350 gross rating points per 

week per market, which is considered a “strong” program 

by industry standards. 

Recently Seen/Read/Heard Messages to Buckle Up 

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

w1 2006 w3 2006 w1 2007 w3 2007

IA KS MO NE

More people were aware of general seat belt messages, the 

CIOT slogan, and of ongoing enforcement during CIOT 

than during the BUIYT phase, which was new to the region. 

Awareness of messages to buckle up in pickup trucks and 

of the BUIYT slogan peaked at very modest levels during 

the BUIYT phase and significantly increased (+7 percentage 

points) among occupants of pickup trucks. There was little 

change in the perceived likelihood of receiving a ticket if riding unbuckled. 

Buckle Up In Your Truck Program Increases 

Seat Belt Use in Pickup Trucks
TRAFFIC TECH is a publication to disseminate information about 

traffic safety programs, including evaluations, innovative programs, and new publications. Feel free to copy it as you wish. If you 

would like to receive a copy, contact Angela H. Eichelberger, Ph.D., 

Editor, fax 202-366-7394, e-mail: angela.eichelberger@dot.gov.

1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., NTI-130

Washington, DC 20590

Summary

The key to achieving higher seat belt use seems to be in reaching low-use occupants who are at the highest risk of being 

involved in serious crashes. Programs should continue to target those at greatest risk, such as rural motorists, occupants 

of pickup trucks, young males, and people on the roadways 

late at night. These initial targeted programs have met with 

modest success. Pairing a targeted program with a CIOT 

mobilization appears to offer more promise than conducting 

such a program alone. There may be better ways to combine 

and integrate targeted programs and CIOT efforts, for example, implementing them as integrated three-week efforts, 

rather than in two distinct phases. This is being considered 

in some current demonstration programs. In the Region 7 

project, there was room to improve the reach, intensity, and 

awareness of the pickup-truck-related messaging.

The report also includes appendices that document the 

results of previously published BUIYT programs in NHTSA’s Region 4 (Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, 

and Florida) and Region 6 (New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, 

Louisiana, and Missouri).

How to Order

To order Evaluation of the Buckle Up In Your Truck Programs 

to Increase Seat Belt Use in Pickup Trucks (15 pages plus 

appendices), prepared by Preusser Research Group, write to 

the Office of Behavioral Safety Research, NHTSA, NTI-132, 

1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, fax 

202-366-7394, or download from www.nhtsa.dot.gov. John 

Siegler, Ph.D., was the Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative for this project.

Changes in Seat Belt Use by Vehicle Type Percent Usage

Non-Pickup All Vehicles Pickup Trucks

2006 2007

50

60

70

80

90

100

wave 1 wave 2 wave 3 wave 1 wave 2 wave 3

Awareness of Messages to Use Seat Belts in Pickup Trucks 

by Vehicle Type

0

20

40

60

Percent

Baseline Change

28

15

30

18

27

15

12

IA Pickup IA Car KS Pickup KS Car NE Pickup NE Car

12

12

10

23

15

Changes in Seat Belt Use 

All States experienced significant increases in observed seat 

belt use over the two-year program. The greatest increases 

occurred during the 2006 CIOT phase. The median increase 

in belt use during that phase was 8 percentage points among 

occupants of pickup trucks and 7 percentage points among 

occupants of other (passenger) vehicles. By the end of the 

second year, overall belt use increased 7 percentage points 

in pickup trucks and 8 percentage points in other vehicles. 

The increase in seat belt use in pickup trucks ranged from 

3 percentage points in Nebraska to 14 percentage points in 

Kansas. Increases in other vehicle types ranged from 2 percentage points in Iowa to 14 percentage points in Kansas. 

Except for Iowa, there was a significant increase in seat belt 

use among occupants of other vehicles during this phase 

(average change was an increase of 6 percentage points).

There was no change in seat belt use among crash victims 

from pre- to post-campaign in 2006, as measured by FARS 

data. There was, however, a significant increase in the belted 

proportion of occupants of pickup trucks relative to occupants of other vehicles.

Changes in Seat Belt Use: 2006 and 2007

50

60

70

80

90

100

wave 1 wave 2

2006

Percent Usage

wave 3 wave 1 wave 2

2007

wave 3

Iowa Missouri Kansas Nebraska