Motivating children to use safety belts: A program combining rewards and “Flash for Life”

This study reports the application of rewards to increase parents' and schoolchildren's use of safety belts en route to school through a community wide program involving 27 schools. Comprehensive observations were made at two representative schools. Compliance with safety rules required all occupants of a vehicle to be buckled into safety devices. At the beginning of the program all children received a “Flash for Life” vinyl folder and a bumper strip for the family car. During the first week of the program, law enforcement units distributed free pizza tickets when they observed cars with bumper strips in which all occupants were properly secured. During the school reward phase, children arriving in compliant cars received colored stickers each day. Daily rewards increased compliance at one observed school from a baseline of 23.5% to 42.5%, whereas compliance at the second school increased from 27.3% to 81.9%. Intermittent schedules of rewards in following weeks had mixed results. Withdrawal of the rewards resulted in moderate decreases in compliance.