1 of 25

The National Occupant Protection Use Survey

NOPUS - DRAFT

Adele Polson, Westat

Lacey Werth and Jacob Enriquez, NHTSA

2 of 25

My Background

3 of 25

Agenda

NOPUS Background
2022 Results

3

4 of 25

NOPUS Background

Only nationally representative data on occupant protection use

Population

Entire US
Passenger vehicles
During daylight hours

Estimates

Seat belt
Car seat
Helmet use
Cell phone use

4

5 of 25

NOPUS Background

In 1991, the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) required data and analysis lap and shoulder belt use
First NOPUS conducted in 1994¹

Seat belt use rate = 58%
47 states had “some type” of seat belt law

Differed by type and age of vehicle, occupant seat position, etc.

¹National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (1995), Research Note: National Occupant Protection Use Survey: Controlled Intersection Study.

5

6 of 25

NOPUS Time Series Data

6

31

Study Iterations

2.7 million

Vehicles Observed

3

Sample Redesigns

7 of 25

Data Collection - Methodology

Completely observational data collection

Conducted by teams of 2 data collectors
Stand at side of road
And drive alongside vehicles

Collect on tablets using a propriety app

7

NOPUS 2023

8 of 25

Data Collection - Limitations

Limitations to observational data collection

Cannot reliably observe demographic information in moving vehicles
May not observe all the vehicles that pass through a site
Cannot count and observe vehicles simultaneously

8

9 of 25

Data Collection - Components

1. Moving Traffic Study (MT)

Snapshot of front seat occupants & motorcyclists
Basis for national estimates
30 – 50 minutes

2. Traffic Count

Tally of vehicles with up to four wheels
15 minutes

3. Controlled Intersection Survey (CI)

Detailed observations on 1^st & 2^nd row occupants
Near MT sites
40 minutes

Therefore, we’ve had to develop 3 components for each NOPUS site.
For training purposes, we refer to these as puzzle pieces.
They are:

Moving Traffic Study

For this portion of NOPUS, data collectors observe traffic that is moving.

They record the seat belt and child restraint use of front seat occupants.

They also record motorcycle helmet use for all drivers and passengers.
At Surface streets, data is observed from midblock locations, if limited access highway then data are collected from vehicle traveling with flow of traffic

Traffic Count

The second component of the NOPUS Study, the traffic count, is always done immediately after the Moving Traffic observations and before the Controlled Intersection observations.
It is a simple tally of passenger vehicles and motorcycles.
Or, in other words, a volume count of traffic on the road at the site.

Controlled Intersection Survey

For this portion of the study, data collectors observe traffic that is stopped at a light or a stop sign.
They record restraint use and demographic information for occupants in the 1st and 2nd rows of seats.
This is a more detailed look at the vehicle and its occupants because the vehicle is stopped.

The demographic characteristics recorded are gender, race, and age.
Driver electronic device use is also captured.

10 of 25

Data Collection - Timing

Data collection takes place immediately following National Click It or Ticket

June of each year

Exceptions

2020

Data collected in July, no Click it Ticket

Prior to 2001

Fall, winter, and summer collection

10

11 of 25

Sample Design

Stratified systematic PPS sample of PSUs using annual VMT as MOS
Stratified systematic PPS sample of road segments using (length x stratum-specific constant) as MOS
Sample designs timeline:

11

1^st 2006 & 2007

2^nd2015

3^rd2024

12 of 25

NOPUS 2022 Results

Moving Traffic Study

12

13 of 25

National Seat Belt Use Rate – 1994-2022

13

14 of 25

Seat Belt Use by Major Characteristics²

²Enriquez, J. (2023, April). Seat Belt Use In 2021 and 2022: Results from The National Occupant Protection Use Survey, Presentation Lifesavers Conference.

14

Driver

91.9%

States with Primary Enforcement Laws

92.2%

Expressways

94.4%

Right-Front Passenger

90.0%

States with Secondary or No Enforcement Laws

89.5%

Surface Streets

89.4%

Urban Areas

92.0%

Weekdays

91.5%

Rural Areas

90.8%

Weekends

91.7%

Clear Weather

91.2%

Not Clear Weather

94.3%

15 of 25

Seat Belt Use by Vehicle Type

15

91.3%

Cars

93.7%

Van/SUV

86.7%

Pick-Ups

16 of 25

Seat Belt Use by Traffic Speed

16

93.3%

Fast Traffic

Average speed exceeds 50 mph

91.0%

Medium Traffic

Average speed between 31 mph and 50 mph

88.3%

Slow Traffic

Average speed is 30 mph or slower

17 of 25

Seat Belt Use by Traffic Density

17

93.3%

Heavy Traffic
Average number of vehicles is > 5 per lane, per mile

90.6%

Moderately Dense Traffic
Average number of vehicles is >= 1 and < 5 per lane, per mile

82.6%

Light Traffic
Average number of vehicles is <= 1 vehicle per lane, per mile

18 of 25

Seat Belt Use by Region²

²Enriquez, J. (2023, April). Seat Belt Use In 2021 and 2022: Results from The National Occupant Protection Use Survey, Presentation Lifesavers Conference.

18

Northeast 91.1%

Midwest 89.3%

South 90.5%

West 96.2%

19 of 25

NOPUS 2022 Results

Controlled Intersection Survey

19

20 of 25

Front Seat Belt Use by Age in 2021 and 2022³

³Boyle, L. (2023, November). Occupant restraint use in 2022: Results from the NOPUS Controlled Intersection Study (Report No. DOT HS 813 523). National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

20

21 of 25

Front Seat Belt Use By Major Characteristics²

²Enriquez, J. (2023, April). Seat Belt Use In 2021 and 2022: Results from The National Occupant Protection Use Survey, Presentation Lifesavers Conference.

21

Male

90.1%

Drivers with No Passengers

91.5%

Female

93.5%

Drivers with at Least One Passenger

93%

22 of 25

Seat Belt Use by Seating Position³

³Boyle, L. (2023, November). Occupant restraint use in 2022: Results from the NOPUS Controlled Intersection Study (Report No. DOT HS 813 523). National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

22

23 of 25

Seat Belt Use by Race by Seating Position³

³Boyle, L. (2023, November). Occupant restraint use in 2022: Results from the NOPUS Controlled Intersection Study (Report No. DOT HS 813 523). National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

23

White

Front 92.6%

Rear 87.3%

Black

Front 82.6%

Rear 66.0%

Other

Front 92.1%

Rear 69.2%

And now race in all seating positions.
In NOPUS, observed vehicle occupant race categories are Black, white, and members of other races.

This characterization is based on the visual assessment of the data collectors who observe vehicle occupants from roadsides.

In 2022, in both the front and rear seat, belt use continued to be lower among Black occupants than white occupants and members of other races.

The front-seat belt use for white occupants was 92.6 percent, a significant increase from 90.7 percent in 2021, and this is a record high.

For the first time in NOPUS history the front-seat belt use rate for white occupants surpassed members of other races.

In the rear-seat, belt use continued to be lower among Black occupants (66.0%) than white occupants (87.3%) and members of other races (69.2%) in rear seats.

24 of 25

Rear Seat Belt Use by Law³

States with laws requiring seat belts to be used in all seating positions:

Alabama, Alaska, California, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming

24

And now let’s look exclusively at rear seat belt use.
At the time the 2022 NOPUS was conducted, 31 states and DC required all vehicle occupant 18 and older to use seat belts when riding in rear seats

However, in 11 states, those laws are secondary.

This chart shows the trend of rear-seat belt use among passengers in the States with or without laws requiring belt use in all seating positions over the period 2013 to 2022.
Rear-seat belt use in States with laws requiring belt use in all seating positions increased from 77.7 percent in 2021 to 81.7 percent in 2022, while rear-seat belt use in States with laws requiring belt use only in the front seat increased from 78.8 percent in 2021 to 81.5 percent in 2022.
Neither of these increase are statistically significant.
However, it is interesting to note that rear-seat belt use in States requiring belt use only in the front seat has continued to match rear-seat belt use in States requiring belt use in all seating positions.

This trend started in 2020.

25 of 25

Thank you

Adele Polson�adelepolson@westat.com

Westat’s Center for Transportation and Safety Research: westat.com/services/transportation

Lacey Werth

lacey.boyle@dot.gov

NOPUS Publications: crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov

westat.com

Photos are for illustrative purposes only. All persons depicted, unless otherwise stated, are models.

25

DO NOT DELETE THIS SLIDE