Predicting Police Officer Seat Belt Use: Evidence-Based Solutions To Improve Officer Driving Safety

• NCJ Number: 255814
• Journal: Police Quarterly Dated: 2020
• Author(s): Scott Wolfe; Spencer G. Lawson; Jeff Rojek; Geoffrey Alpert
• Date Published: 2020
• Length: 9 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2012-DB-BX-K002
• Sponsoring Agency: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical); Report (Study/Research); Report (Grant Sponsored); Program/Project Evaluation; Program/Project Description; Policy
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Since one of the hidden dangers of police work is the failure to wear seat belts and there is little evidence on the factors that account for why officers do not wear their seat belts, the current study used a sample of 450 police officers to develop and test a framework for understanding the predictors of seat belt use.

Abstract

This study used a sample of 450 police officers to develop and test a framework for understanding the predictors of seat-belt use. The study identified several factors that were associated with the frequency of officer seat belt use: the perceived likelihood of supervisors enforcing seat belt and other driving policies, organizational justice, having a departmental colleague previously struck by a vehicle, law enforcement experience, risky driving attitudes, number of prior on-duty collisions, being a patrol officer versus supervisor, and perceived risk of being involved in a vehicle collision. The article discusses the practical implications of these findings as they apply to efforts at improving officer driving safety and subsequent reduction in related officer injuries and deaths. 2 tables and 94 references (publisher abstract modified)