Article Sidebar
Published:
Aug 29, 2013Article Details
Copyright remains in the Author’s name. The work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution - Noncommercial Works License. Authors are required to complete and sign an Author Agreement form that outlines Author and Publisher rights and terms of publication. The Agreement form should be uploaded along with other submissions files and any submission will be considered incomplete without it [forthcoming].
Material submitted for publication in the SAMJ is accepted provided it has not been published or submitted for publication elsewhere. Please inform the editorial team if the main findings of your paper have been presented at a conference and published in abstract form, to avoid copyright infringement. The SAMJ does not hold itself responsible for statements made by the authors.
Previously published images
If an image/figure has been previously published, permission to reproduce or alter it must be obtained by the authors from the original publisher and the figure legend must give full credit to the original source. This credit should be accompanied by a letter indicating that permission to reproduce the image has been granted to the author/s. This letter should be uploaded as a supplementary file during submission.
Main Article Content
Patterns of seatbelt use in different socioeconomic communities in the Cape Town Metropole, South Africa
Abstract
Objective. To establish whether patterns of seatbelt use vary between different socioeconomic communities in the Cape Town Metropole, South Africa.
Methods. Vehicles and their occupants at 7 high-volume crossings (3 in high-income areas) were placed under surveillance for 2 hours each during November 2010. All occupants were eligible for inclusion except occupants of non-motorised vehicles, two-wheel motorised vehicles, buses, taxis, heavy goods vehicles and emergency vehicles. Child seatbelt use was recorded only for children who appeared older than 3 years.
Results. A total of 4 651 vehicles with 6 848 occupants were surveyed. Rates of seatbelt use were 45.1% (n=3 090) for all occupants, 54.0%
(n=2 513) for drivers, 33.1% (n=521) for front-seat passengers (adults 33.2%, n=452; children 32.7%, n=69) and 9.0% (n=56) for rear-seat
passengers (adults 4.0%, n=13; children 14.4%, n=43). Occupants from high-income areas were more likely to wear seatbelts (odds ratio (OR) 4.35; 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.89 - 4.88). Use of child restraints was poor overall (22.3%, n=114), but also varied according to income areas (high income 40.9%, n=99; low income 0.03%, n=6; OR 26.77; 95% CI 11.44 - 62.63).
Discussion. The impact of road traffic injuries is significant, but can be decreased by using appropriate restraining devices. Seatbelt use in South Africa, although compulsory, is neither strictly adhered to nor enforced. Their use is proportionally lower in lower-income areas. Specific interventions are required to target these communities directly.
