The Midfield High School Safety Belt Incentive Program.

Motor vehicle accidents constitute the leading cause of death among children and youth ages 15-24. The Year 2000 Health Objectives for the Nation call for reduction in fatalities in this population through increasing occupant restraint measures. This article provides an overview of how one school district developed a school and community safety belt incentive program to increase safety belt use among high school students. The intervention program followed a seven-step process, involving community leaders, school officials, students, and local law enforcement personnel in its design, implementation, and evaluation. Local merchants and the Alabama Dept. of Health donated program incentives. Measurement of safety belt use among the target population revealed increased use throughout the program.