• Introduction

• Results
• Light Trucks and Passenger Vans
• Age Group
• Seating Position
• Survey Method

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 per cent 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 July 24 and July 30, 2000.

Results

For Canada as a whole, the estimated proportion of all occupants of light-duty vehicles using seat belts is unchanged from last year at 90.1 per cent (see Table 1). This estimate is accurate within ± 0.8 per cent 19 times out of 20 in repeated samples.

Other highlights of the 2000 survey of all occupants in the light-duty vehicles category for individual provinces and territories in rounded percentages are as follows:

• Five provinces have a seat belt use rate of 90 per cent or more — an increase of three provinces from 1999.
• Newfoundland leads the country with a usage rate of 93 per cent, followed by Ontario and New Brunswick at an identical rate of 92 per cent; Quebec at 91 per cent and Saskatchewan at 90 per cent.
• Seat belt wearing rates for other provinces and territories are: British Columbia at 89 per cent; Alberta and Nova Scotia at 87 per cent; Prince Edward Island at 86 per cent; Manitoba at 84 per cent; Yukon at 79 per cent; and the Northwest Territories at 61 per cent.

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 services and road safety associations.

Table 1: Estimates of seat belt use from annual surveys 1992-2000*

*Note: Seat belt laws in some jurisdictions can exempt 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 1992-2000*

*Note: Seat belt laws in some jurisdictions can exempt 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 per cent in passenger vans and 82 per cent in light trucks. Light trucks and passenger vans account for 32 per cent of the vehicles included in the survey.

Table 3: Estimates of Seat Belt Use from July 2000 Survey,
by Type of Vehicles and by Driver and All Occupants*

*Note: Seat belt laws in some jurisdictions can exempt 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 July 2000 Survey,
by Type of Vehicles and by Age Group of Driver*

*Note: Seat belt laws in some jurisdictions can exempt 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.

Seating Position

Table 5 presents the survey results of seat belt use by seating position within light-duty vehicles. It shows that the majority of individuals surveyed are located in the front seating positions and that their wearing rates are considerably higher.

Table 5: Estimates of Seat Belt Use by Seating Position in Light-Duty Vehicles*

*Note: Seat belt laws in some jurisdictions can exempt certain individuals from wearing seat belts.
** Light-duty vehicles include passenger cars, passenger vans and light trucks.

Survey Method

The July 2000 survey was undertaken at 241 sites selected by province and territory, 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 (ASFCG)
Transport Canada
330 Sparks Street
Place de Ville, Tower C
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0N5

RoadSafetyWebMail@tc.gc.ca