Mobile phone and seat belt usage rates in Surrey 2012

Following funding for annual national seatbelt surveys being unavailable since 2009, Surrey County Council funded this new survey at 12 sites within Surrey.

This report compares the results from the six DfT sites for 2012 with the results from the 2007-09 DfT surveys to give an indication of how restraint use may have changed. The report also details baseline figures for the whole of Surrey from the full set of 12 sites to provide a representative comparator for future surveys.

Summary of results
• Comparisons of seatbelt wearing rates were made by age group, sex, vehicle type (car or van) and seating position. Differences in restraint usage between road types and use of child car seats were also looked at.

• The results showed that while seatbelt wearing rates among car drivers have remained much the same since 2007, the restraint wearing rate of car front seat passengers has increased in the same timeframe.

• Seatbelt wearing rates for car rear seat passengers, van drivers and van passengers were also investigated.

• Observations of mobile phone use were compared with data from previous years and found to be much higher in 2012 for all user groups. The age group with the greatest proportion using hand-held phones was 17-29 year olds.

• Female car drivers were more likely to be using a hand-held mobile and less likely to be using a hands free mobile than male car drivers.

• Mobile phone use, both hand-held and hands free, by drivers wearing seat belts increased considerably between 2009 and 2012.