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Road Safety Leaflet
CL9907E
TP2436 E
September 1999 |
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Introduction
The National Occupant Restraint Program 2001(NORP 2001) is an important
element of Road Safety Vision 2001 —
an ambitious partnership approved by federal, provincial and territorial
Ministers of Transport to make Canada’s roads the safest in the world. The
objective of NORP 2001 is to achieve a national seat belt usage rate of 95
percent for all occupants in light-duty vehicles (passenger cars, passenger vans
and light trucks). Transport Canada’s contribution to this program of
monitoring seat belt usage rates in Canada is done through conducting an annual
survey. The latest national survey of seat belt use took place between June 21
and June 27, 1999.
Results
For Canada as a whole, the estimated proportion of all occupants of
light-duty vehicles using seat belts increased by 1.6 percent to 90.1 percent in
June 1999, from 88.7 percent in June 1998 (see Table 1). This estimate
is accurate within ± 1.0 percent 19 times out of 20 in repeated
samples.
Other highlights of the 1999 survey of all occupants of light-duty vehicles
for individual provinces and territories (in rounded percentages) are as
follows:
- Two provinces have a seat belt use rate of 90 percent or more,
down from three provinces having a 90 percent rate last year.
- Quebec leads the country with a usage rate of 93 percent,
followed by Ontario at 91 percent.
- Seat belt wearing rates for other provinces and territories are:
Alberta, British Columbia and Prince Edward Island at 89 percent;
Saskatchewan at 88 percent; Nova Scotia at 87 percent; New Brunswick at
86 percent; Manitoba at 85 percent; Newfoundland at 83 percent;
Yukon at 82 percent; and the Northwest Territories at 61 percent.
The high national wearing rate is the result of increased safety awareness by
the motoring public as well as concerted efforts in the areas of policy-making,
safety promotion and enforcement by the provincial and territorial governments,
police forces and road safety associations.
Table 1 : Estimates of seat belt use from annual surveys
1992-1999*
|
Province
or
Territory
|
Percentage of all Occupants Wearing Seat Belts in
Light-Duty Vehicles**
|
|
1992
June
(%)
|
1993
June
(%)
|
1994
June
(%)
|
1996
June
(%)
|
1997
July
(%)
|
1998
June
(%)
|
1999
June
(%)
|
|
Newfoundland
|
90.4
|
94.5
|
93.6
|
91.9
|
92.4
|
86.4
|
82.9
|
|
Prince Edward Island
|
76.9
|
77.8
|
84.5
|
87.5
|
82.6
|
82.7
|
88.5
|
|
Nova Scotia
|
82.1
|
83.5
|
83.2
|
88.2
|
87.1
|
88.5
|
86.6
|
|
New Brunswick
|
77.9
|
82.1
|
84.9
|
86.6
|
86.5
|
87.9
|
85.9
|
|
Quebec
|
86.0
|
88.8
|
89.8
|
90.3
|
91.7
|
92.3
|
93.0
|
|
Ontario
|
76.6
|
79.4
|
86.3
|
89.9
|
89.2
|
89.1
|
91.0
|
|
Manitoba
|
76.5
|
80.2
|
82.6
|
82.4
|
84.8
|
84.4
|
85.3
|
|
Saskatchewan
|
88.7
|
89.4
|
87.7
|
89.6
|
91.7
|
89.7
|
88.2
|
|
Alberta
|
80.3
|
81.0
|
83.1
|
85.1
|
83.7
|
82.4
|
89.3
|
|
British Columbia
|
87.1
|
86.4
|
88.3
|
88.7
|
89.4
|
89.7
|
89.2
|
|
Yukon Territory
|
60.1
|
72.8
|
68.2
|
81.2
|
83.4
|
82.1
|
82.1
|
|
Northwest Territories
|
68.7
|
51.5
|
67.4
|
54.9
|
64.3
|
52.6
|
61.1
|
|
Canada
|
81.4
|
83.4
|
86.8
|
88.7
|
88.9
|
88.7
|
90.1
|
* Note : Some jurisdictions have laws exempting certain
individuals from wearing seat belts.
** Light-duty vehicles include passenger cars, passenger vans and light trucks.
Table 2: Estimates of seat belt use from annual surveys
1991-1999*
|
Province
or
Territory
|
Percentage of Passenger Car Drivers Wearing Seat Belts
|
|
1991
June
(%)
|
1991
Oct.
(%)
|
1992
June
(%)
|
1992
Oct.
(%)
|
1993
June
(%)
|
1993
Oct.
(%)
|
1994
June
(%)
|
1994
Oct.
(%)
|
1996
June
(%)
|
1997
July
(%)
|
1998
June
(%)
|
1999
June
(%)
|
|
Newfoundland
|
91.6
|
90.6
|
93.9
|
94.8
|
96.7
|
97.5
|
95.7
|
95.7
|
94.3
|
95.2
|
90.8
|
86.9
|
|
Prince Edward Island
|
74.7
|
78.7
|
81.8
|
81.4
|
83.4
|
81.5
|
90.2
|
90.5
|
91.8
|
88.0
|
88.0
|
92.6
|
|
Nova Scotia
|
83.9
|
86.3
|
85.5
|
86.3
|
87.4
|
86.3
|
87.0
|
90.5
|
91.2
|
90.1
|
91.2
|
89.8
|
|
New Brunswick
|
81.9
|
83.2
|
81.3
|
81.3
|
85.6
|
86.2
|
88.9
|
92.1
|
89.5
|
91.9
|
91.8
|
89.6
|
|
Quebec
|
92.4
|
92.8
|
91.3
|
91.8
|
92.6
|
92.6
|
92.1
|
94.4
|
93.2
|
93.8
|
94.7
|
94.9
|
|
Ontario
|
79.7
|
83.2
|
80.5
|
84.1
|
84.0
|
83.6
|
88.8
|
91.0
|
92.3
|
91.4
|
91.5
|
92.4
|
|
Manitoba
|
79.4
|
79.9
|
81.6
|
80.2
|
82.9
|
83.3
|
86.1
|
85.8
|
85.0
|
87.3
|
87.6
|
87.9
|
|
Saskatchewan
|
91.5
|
90.6
|
93.9
|
93.8
|
93.7
|
95.4
|
92.7
|
92.7
|
94.0
|
93.9
|
94.1
|
91.7
|
|
Alberta
|
84.4
|
83.2
|
86.3
|
84.8
|
86.6
|
88.3
|
87.8
|
88.5
|
89.8
|
87.5
|
87.8
|
91.6
|
|
British Columbia
|
87.0
|
84.9
|
91.1
|
90.6
|
91.4
|
91.3
|
92.7
|
92.0
|
92.6
|
92.0
|
93.2
|
92.0
|
|
Yukon Territory
|
24.5
|
74.8
|
58.8
|
84.0
|
80.8
|
78.3
|
67.6
|
79.2
|
87.5
|
87.0
|
92.2
|
89.5
|
|
Northwest Territories
|
74.4
|
75.6
|
64.7
|
69.5
|
59.8
|
60.2
|
75.5
|
77.9
|
57.8
|
73.0
|
54.6
|
64.4
|
|
Canada
|
85.1
|
86.0
|
85.9
|
87.1
|
87.8
|
87.8
|
90.1
|
91.6
|
91.9
|
91.5
|
91.9
|
92.3
|
*Note: Some jurisdictions have laws exempting certain
individuals from wearing seat belts.
Light Trucks and Passenger Vans
Table 3 presents the survey results of seat belt use by type of vehicle. As
in previous surveys, this year's survey distinguished passenger vans from light
trucks. The national results show that the use of seat belts by all occupants is
91 percent in passenger vans and 82 percent in light trucks.
Light trucks and passenger vans account for 31.4 percent of the vehicles
included in the survey.
Table 3: Estimates of seat belt use from June 1999 survey,
by type of vehicles and by driver and all occupants*
|
Province
or
Territory |
Passenger Cars
|
Passenger Vans**
|
Light Trucks
|
Total Light-Duty Vehicles***
|
|
Driver
(%)
|
All Occupants
(%)
|
Driver
(%)
|
All Occupants
(%)
|
Driver
(%)
|
All Occupants
(%)
|
Driver
(%)
|
All Occupants
(%)
|
|
Newfoundland
|
86.9
|
84.2
|
84.8
|
82.6
|
78.2
|
75.8
|
85.3
|
82.9
|
|
Prince Edward Island
|
92.6
|
89.5
|
93.3
|
92.3
|
74.4
|
73.5
|
91.0
|
88.5
|
|
Nova Scotia
|
89.8
|
88.8
|
81.7
|
83.2
|
71.9
|
73.2
|
86.7
|
86.6
|
|
New Brunswick
|
89.6
|
87.1
|
88.2
|
87.4
|
78.5
|
75.4
|
88.1
|
85.9
|
|
Quebec
|
94.9
|
93.2
|
94.8
|
94.0
|
86.2
|
86.3
|
94.4
|
93.0
|
|
Ontario
|
92.4
|
91.3
|
91.8
|
91.4
|
87.5
|
86.2
|
91.9
|
91.0
|
|
Manitoba
|
87.9
|
86.2
|
86.0
|
86.3
|
74.3
|
73.0
|
86.3
|
85.3
|
|
Saskatchewan
|
91.7
|
90.1
|
88.2
|
87.9
|
80.6
|
79.3
|
89.3
|
88.2
|
|
Alberta
|
91.6
|
90.3
|
90.5
|
89.9
|
80.5
|
80.6
|
90.2
|
89.3
|
|
British Columbia
|
92.0
|
91.3
|
88.7
|
89.0
|
76.1
|
73.3
|
89.8
|
89.2
|
|
Yukon Territory
|
89.5
|
85.4
|
83.4
|
79.2
|
76.2
|
76.9
|
84.8
|
82.1
|
|
Northwest Territories
|
64.4
|
60.6
|
69.4
|
68.2
|
51.6
|
53.4
|
62.6
|
61.1
|
|
Canada
|
92.3
|
91.0
|
91.2
|
90.8
|
83.4
|
82.4
|
91.1
|
90.1
|
*Note: Some jurisdictions have laws exempting certain
individuals from wearing seat belts.
**Passenger Vans, which include passenger vans and light trucks with back seats.
*** Light-duty vehicles include passenger cars, passenger vans and light trucks
Age Group
Table 4 presents the survey results of seat belt use by age group of vehicle
occupants.
Within each category of vehicle, the use of seat belts by drivers increases
as the age of the driver increases — the older the driver, the higher the seat
belt use rate.
Table 4: Estimates of seat belt use from June 1999 survey,
by type of vehicles and by age group of driver*
|
Province
or
Territory
|
Passenger Cars
|
Passenger Vans**
|
Light Trucks
|
Total Light Duty Vehicles***
|
|
< 25
(%)
|
25-49
(%)
|
50+
(%)
|
< 25
(%)
|
25-49
(%)
|
50+
(%)
|
< 25
(%)
|
25-49
(%)
|
50+
(%)
|
< 25
(%)
|
25-49
(%)
|
50+
(%)
|
|
Newfoundland
|
82.0
|
86.8
|
89.6
|
84.7
|
85.1
|
84.7
|
75.4
|
78.1
|
79.4
|
81.8
|
85.3
|
86.9
|
|
Prince Edward Island
|
88.4
|
95.4
|
93.0
|
89.6
|
95.0
|
89.7
|
70.6
|
76.9
|
73.4
|
86.8
|
93.9
|
89.8
|
|
Nova Scotia
|
88.4
|
90.1
|
90.3
|
82.6
|
80.7
|
81.6
|
77.6
|
70.1
|
74.7
|
86.9
|
86.4
|
87.3
|
|
New Brunswick
|
87.5
|
89.4
|
90.8
|
88.9
|
86.9
|
91.2
|
87.6
|
77.1
|
76.5
|
87.3
|
87.5
|
89.4
|
|
Quebec
|
93.8
|
94.6
|
95.9
|
94.4
|
95.0
|
93.9
|
82.2
|
84.6
|
93.9
|
93.4
|
94.1
|
95.4
|
|
Ontario
|
90.9
|
92.6
|
92.8
|
91.7
|
91.7
|
92.6
|
89.1
|
86.5
|
89.7
|
90.6
|
91.9
|
92.6
|
|
Manitoba
|
77.5
|
88.0
|
90.7
|
90.3
|
85.0
|
87.6
|
53.6
|
73.7
|
80.1
|
77.4
|
86.0
|
89.3
|
|
Saskatchewan
|
88.3
|
92.0
|
92.7
|
75.0
|
88.8
|
89.0
|
68.6
|
80.0
|
87.3
|
84.9
|
89.4
|
91.1
|
|
Alberta
|
87.8
|
92.1
|
93.4
|
82.2
|
91.5
|
87.9
|
74.7
|
82.7
|
81.0
|
86.5
|
90.8
|
91.3
|
|
British Columbia
|
85.7
|
92.6
|
93.8
|
78.2
|
89.6
|
89.1
|
64.0
|
76.3
|
85.6
|
82.3
|
90.2
|
92.5
|
|
Yukon Territory
|
77.5
|
91.6
|
94.1
|
76.1
|
82.7
|
87.7
|
69.5
|
78.2
|
78.4
|
76.1
|
85.8
|
88.0
|
|
Northwest Territories
|
50.0
|
68.8
|
76.1
|
61.8
|
69.5
|
86.6
|
50.9
|
57.6
|
24.6
|
51.4
|
66.9
|
65.7
|
|
Canada
|
89.5
|
92.5
|
93.4
|
88.7
|
91.4
|
91.3
|
80.1
|
82.9
|
87.6
|
88.2
|
91.1
|
92.4
|
*Note: Some jurisdictions have laws exempting certain
individuals from wearing seat belts.
**Passenger Vans, which include passenger vans and light trucks with back seats.
*** Light-duty vehicles, which include passenger cars, passenger vans and light
trucks.
Survey Method
The June 1999 survey was undertaken at 241 sites selected by province,
community size and road type, and is comparable to the samples used in the
previous national seat belt use surveys.
For further information write to:
Road Safety Programs Branch
Transport Canada
330 Sparks Street
Tower C, Place de Ville
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0N5
E-mail: roadsafetywebmail@tc.gc.ca
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