ABSTRACT

Objective: In turn, personal and behavioural characteristics found in drivers who use seat belts affect general traffic safety. The objective of our study was to determine the risk factors that affect seat belt use across the observed behaviour-related groups of adult citizens of Slovenia.

Methods: Data were collected in late spring 2001, 2004, 2008 and 2012 in a cross-sectional survey, which is conceptually part of a wider international project in the frame of the Countrywide Integrated Non-communicable Diseases Intervention Programme. A stratified random sample was drawn from the Central Population Registry of the Republic of Slovenia.

Results: The most significant results of our study showed that the important risk factors for seat belt use in all three periods of examination are as follows: gender, age and education level. We have found seat belt use in the front and the back car seats among adult citizens of Slovenia to be gradually becoming more and more prevalent. However, there are still a worrisome percent age of people who never use seat belts.

Conclusion: We will thus have to continue implementing existing activities intended to raise awareness and seat belt use. In particular, planning stages for various public-health measures should see us focussing on at-risk population groups. Further data will have to be obtained in order for us to be able to exactly evaluate behaviour-affecting risk factors (eg, psycho-physical wellbeing, use of medicinal products).