Teenage compliance to Texas safety belt law

Observations were made of 16 to 18 year old male and female Ss to observe non-compliance of the mandatory seat belt law and to determine if there were behavioral changes as a result of an educational program, as well as, a threat of a fine. Data were collected 3 times: prior to the treatment, at the conclusion of the treatment, and the day following the enactment of the mandatory seat belt law. The treatment consisted of a two week educational program. 2 observers recorded the license number of each car entering a parking area with a notation of seat belt use or non-use. Data collected before the treatment and data collected following the treatment were used to determine if sig changes took place in the subjects' behavior because of the educational program. Data collected following the enactment of the mandatory seat belt law was used to determine if the threat of a fine changed the subjects' behavior. There was a sig diff in the level of compliance to seat belt use following the educational program. No sig diff occurred in wearing seat belts as a result of the threat of a fine. Results demonstrated that the educational program did cause behavioral changes but that the mandatory seat belt law did not.