Safety Belt Statistics - Rear Seat 2007
Last updated on
3/04/2009 1:47 p.m.
Safety belt wearing by adult rear seat passengers: Results of national survey, November/December 2007
The latest annual national survey of safety belt use in New Zealand by adults in the rear seats of cars was carried out in November and December 2007. A small number of sites were surveyed in February 2008 due to data collection issues. More than 9000 adults seated in the rear seat of cars were observed at 139 sites around the country. As in previous years, each site was surveyed between 2pm and 4pm on Sunday afternoons during the school term. Only adults seated in the rear window positions were included in the survey.
In 2007, the safety belt wearing rate for rear seat adult passengers was 87%. This result is slightly lower than in 2006 and is similar to 2004 and 2005 wearing rates (see Table 1).
Table 1. Safety belt wearing rates for adults in the rear seat (%)
| Category |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
|
Males
|
72
|
66
|
76
|
78
|
82
|
84
|
86
|
84
|
|
Females
|
79
|
73
|
83
|
84
|
88
|
89
|
91
|
90
|
|
Van passengers
|
67
|
50
|
69
|
72
|
72
|
75
|
79
|
75
|
|
New Zealand
|
76
|
70
|
80
|
81
|
86
|
86
|
89
|
87
|
Female rear seat passengers continued to have a higher rear seat safety belts wearing rate than males (see Table 1). All adult passengers had a lower wearing rate in vans. Rear seat passengers who appeared to be aged 15-19 years were recorded as teenagers. The wearing rate among teenagers was 85%. More teenage girls were wearing their safety belts (86%) than teenage boys (83%). These are similar to the corresponding adult rates, but slightly lower.
Figure 1. Safety belt wearing rates for adults in the rear seat, 1998-2007
Regional Wearing Rates
National restraint wearing surveys are designed to provide a consistent measure of safety belt use over time, by surveying the same sites in each region each year. In 2007, at least 200 vehicle occupants were surveyed in each region, except in Gisborne where 167 people were surveyed and West Coast where 145 people were surveyed.
Table 2 shows the rear seat safety belt wearing rates in each Local Government region over the last ten years. Overall, the wearing of rear seat safety belts has decreased slightly. Waikato and Canterbury showed the greatest statistically significant improvements in 2007. Northland, Bay of Plenty, and Otago all decreased significantly. Southland improved on its wearing rate for 2006, back up to approximately 2005 levels.
Wearing rates in all other regions have not changed markedly since last year, and are continuing to follow a similar pattern to the national wearing rate.
Table 2. Safety belt wearing rates by region from 2000 - 2007
| Local Government Region |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
| Northland |
88
|
72
|
84
|
87
|
89
|
94
|
99
|
71
|
| Auckland |
84
|
84
|
84
|
82
|
90
|
82
|
93
|
92
|
| Waikato |
78
|
80
|
78
|
82
|
85
|
83
|
83
|
88
|
| Bay of Plenty |
66
|
53
|
79
|
70
|
78
|
85
|
90
|
76
|
| Gisborne |
53
|
55
|
54
|
69
|
59
|
97
|
86
|
92
|
| Hawkes Bay |
47
|
52
|
81
|
76
|
87
|
96
|
90
|
84
|
| Taranaki |
66
|
65
|
81
|
83
|
81
|
92
|
91
|
93
|
| Manawatu-Wanganui |
83
|
73
|
79
|
85
|
85
|
87
|
94
|
92
|
| Wellington |
78
|
71
|
77
|
82
|
87
|
84
|
89
|
87
|
| Nelson-Marlborough |
85
|
82
|
77
|
90
|
93
|
89
|
88
|
87
|
| West Coast |
75
|
82
|
79
|
78
|
85
|
89
|
95
|
91
|
| Canterbury |
76
|
58
|
76
|
82
|
88
|
85
|
87
|
91
|
| Otago |
87
|
85
|
88
|
79
|
78
|
88
|
92
|
84
|
| Southland |
74
|
76
|
67
|
88
|
74
|
70
|
64
|
71
|
| All NZ |
76
|
70
|
80
|
81
|
86
|
86
|
89
|
87
|
Note. The accuracy of the wearing rates shown here depends on the sample sizes (the number of car occupants observed). If the sample size is small, the data may show large random fluctuations in the observed wearing rate.
Territorial Local Authority Wearing Rates
At Local Authority level, sample sizes are relatively small and results should be treated with caution. For example, with a sample size of 100 and a wearing rate of 75% the margin of error1 is approximately 9%. While small samples make it difficult to detect small changes in the wearing rate from year to year, these results are useful as an indication of how much improvement is needed. No wearing rate has been estimated where fewer than 80 people were sampled.
Table 3. Rear seat adult safety belt wearing rates by Territorial Local Authority (%)
| Local authority/ authorities |
People in sample |
Wearing rate 2007 |
|
Northland
|
| Far North |
117 |
80 |
| Whangarei |
196 |
67 |
| Whangarei/Kaipara |
232 |
67 |
|
Auckland
|
| North Shore |
251 |
96 |
| Rodney |
296 |
98 |
| Waitakere |
148 |
93 |
| Auckland |
234 |
97 |
| Manukau |
291 |
77 |
| Papakura |
141 |
94 |
| Franklin |
67 |
Sample too small |
|
Waikato
|
| Thames-Coromandel / Hauraki |
165 |
95 |
| Waikato |
263 |
79 |
| Hamilton City |
345 |
82 |
| Matamata-Piako |
51 |
Sample too small |
| Waipa |
220 |
92 |
| South Waikato |
307 |
99 |
| Waitomo |
100 |
83 |
| Otorohanga |
128 |
89 |
| Taupo |
238 |
89 |
|
Bay of Plenty / Gisborne
|
| Tauranga |
158 |
84 |
| Western Bay of Plenty |
137 |
90 |
| Rotorua |
237 |
64 |
| Whakatane / Opotiki / Kawerau |
151 |
74 |
|
Gisborne
|
| Gisborne |
167 |
92 |
|
Hawkes Bay
|
| Hastings / Napier2 / Central Hawkes Bay |
131 |
92 |
| Wairoa |
105 |
74 |
|
Taranaki
|
| New Plymouth |
449 |
92 |
| Stratford |
92 |
97 |
| South Taranaki |
91 |
97 |
|
Manawatu-Wanganui
|
| Rangitikei / Ruapehu / Wanganui |
189 |
86 |
| Manawatu |
117 |
93 |
| Palmerston North |
261 |
95 |
| Tararua / Horowhenua |
129 |
91 |
|
Wellington
|
| Kapiti Coast |
267 |
98 |
| Porirua |
76 |
95 |
| Upper Hutt |
129 |
84 |
| Hutt |
153 |
71 |
| Wellington City |
75 |
80 |
| Masterton |
176 |
85 |
| Carterton / South Wairarapa |
169 |
88 |
|
Nelson-Marlborough / Tasman
|
| Nelson |
88 |
88 |
| Marlborough |
100 |
82 |
| Tasman |
113 |
90 |
|
West Coast
|
| Buller |
23 |
Sample too small |
| Grey |
88 |
86 |
| Buller / Grey / Westland |
145 |
91 |
|
Canterbury
|
| Kaikoura |
115 |
74 |
| Hurunui |
88 |
100 |
| Waimakariri |
98 |
91 |
| Christchurch City |
226 |
83 |
| Selwyn |
180 |
99 |
| Ashburton |
86 |
99 |
| Timaru |
143 |
97 |
| Mackenzie / Waimate |
90 |
93 |
|
Otago
|
| Waitake |
101 |
89 |
| Central Otago |
82 |
70 |
| Queenstown-Lakes |
167 |
72 |
| Dunedin |
155 |
98 |
| Clutha |
71 |
Sample too small |
|
Southland
|
| Gore |
133 |
70 |
| Invercargill / Southland |
105 |
73 |
Police District Wearing Rates
National restraint wearing surveys are designed to provide a consistent measure of safety belt use over time, by surveying the same sites in each Police District each year. In 2007, at least 220 vehicle occupants were surveyed in each district. Table 4 shows the rear safety belt wearing rates in each Police District over the last ten years.
Overall, rear safety belt wearing stayed relatively constant in 2007. Northland and Bay of Plenty Police Districts showed a decrease in rear safety belt wearing. Canterbury showed an increase in wearing rate. Wearing rates in all other police districts were approximately constant over the last year.
Table 4. Rear seat adult safety belt wearing rates by Police District (%)
| Police District |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
| Northland |
88
|
72 |
84 |
87 |
89 |
94 |
99 |
71 |
| Waitemata |
90 |
94 |
85 |
82 |
93 |
91 |
96 |
96 |
| Auckland |
79 |
72 |
78 |
87 |
80 |
72 |
98 |
97 |
| Counties Manukau |
73 |
79 |
86 |
78 |
89 |
70 |
83 |
83 |
| Waikato |
77 |
80 |
79 |
81 |
85 |
83 |
84 |
86 |
| Bay of Plenty |
72 |
60 |
79 |
74 |
81 |
85 |
88 |
84 |
| Eastern |
49 |
53 |
77 |
75 |
84 |
96 |
89 |
87 |
| Central |
75 |
68 |
80 |
85 |
84 |
89 |
93 |
92 |
| Wellington |
78 |
71 |
77 |
82 |
87 |
84 |
89 |
87 |
| Tasman |
79 |
82 |
74 |
89 |
91 |
88 |
89 |
85 |
| Canterbury |
76 |
58 |
78 |
81 |
87 |
85 |
87 |
93 |
| Southern |
81 |
59 |
81 |
82 |
77 |
83
|
84 |
81 |
| All NZ |
76 |
70 |
80 |
81 |
86 |
86 |
89 |
87 |
Police Area Wearing Rates
Sample sizes for many Police Areas are relatively small compared to those for Police Districts and results should be treated with caution. For example, with a sample size of 150 and a wearing rate of 75% the margin of error 1 is approximately 7%. While a sample as small as this makes it difficult to detect small changes in the wearing rate from year to year, these results are useful as an indication of how much improvement is needed. No wearing rate has been estimated where fewer than 80 people were sampled.
Table 5. Rear seat adult safety belt wearing rates by Police Area (%)
| Police Area |
People in sample |
Wearing rate 2007 |
| Northland |
|
|
| Far North |
117
|
80
|
| Whangarei |
232
|
67
|
| North Shore / Waitakere |
|
| North Shore |
251
|
96
|
| Waitakere |
148
|
93
|
| Rodney |
296
|
98
|
| Auckland |
|
|
| Auckland |
234
|
97
|
| Counties Manukau |
|
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|
| Manukau West |
149
|
76
|
| Manukau Central |
142
|
77
|
| Manukau South |
208
|
93
|
| Waikato |
|
|
| Hamilton |
345
|
82
|
| Waikato East |
216
|
94
|
| Waikato West |
711
|
86
|
| Bay of Plenty |
|
|
| Western Bay of Plenty |
295
|
86
|
| Eastern Bay of Plenty |
151
|
74
|
| Rotorua |
237
|
64
|
| Taupo |
545
|
94
|
| Eastern |
|
|
| Gisborne |
272
|
85
|
| Napier |
42
|
Sample too small
|
| Hastings |
89
|
97
|
| Central |
|
|
| New Plymouth |
449
|
92
|
| Taranaki rural |
183
|
97
|
| Wanganui |
61
|
Sample too small
|
| Ruapehu |
65
|
Sample too small
|
| Wanganui/ Ruapehu |
126
|
87
|
| Palmerston North City |
261
|
95
|
| Palmerston North rural |
246
|
92
|
| Wellington |
|
|
| Kapiti-Mana |
343
|
97
|
| Wellington |
75
|
80
|
| Lower Hutt |
153
|
71
|
| Upper Hutt |
129
|
84
|
| Wairarapa |
345
|
86
|
| Tasman |
|
|
| Nelson Bays |
201
|
89
|
| Marlborough |
215
|
78
|
| West Coast |
145
|
91
|
| Canterbury |
|
|
| Northern Canterbury |
186
|
95
|
| Christchurch Central |
121
|
68
|
| Southern Canterbury |
233
|
95
|
| Mid-South Canterbury |
371
|
99
|
| Southern |
|
|
| Dunedin |
226
|
97
|
| Otago Rural |
350
|
76
|
| Southland |
238
|
71
|
Download the full document:
- Margin of error such that wearing rate +- margin of error describes a 95% confidence interval for the wearing rate.
- Sample sizes in the Napier and Hastings areas were reduced due to survey problems in 2007. Full surveys will be obtained in 2008.