Petrucelli E
J Trauma. 1987 Jul;27(7):706-10.
New York became the first state in the U.S.A. to enact a seat belt use law for drivers and front seat passengers. Twenty-six other states and the District of Columbia have passed similar legislation since July 1984. Seat belt usage has increased from two- to fourfold under a mandatory regime. Preliminary data document benefits in reduced serious and fatal casualties and in insurance claims. Greater emphasis must be given to higher levels of enforcement if usage is to reach 75-80%. With substantially increased belt use, the effectiveness of belts, as well as their limitations, and of laws mandating their use, can be evaluated adequately. Also, other consequences of belts can be monitored more closely to determine their relative importance.
纽约成为美国第一个颁布针对驾驶员和前排乘客使用安全带法律的州。自1984年7月以来，其他26个州和哥伦比亚特区也通过了类似的立法。在强制使用制度下，安全带的使用率提高了两到四倍。初步数据证明，在减少严重伤亡和保险理赔方面有好处。如果要使使用率达到75%至80%，就必须更加重视加强执法力度。随着安全带使用的大幅增加，可以充分评估安全带的有效性及其局限性，以及强制使用安全带法律的有效性。此外，可以更密切地监测安全带的其他影响，以确定它们的相对重要性。
