Seatbelt Use in Motor Vehicles on Military Installations
NSIAD-85-66: Published: Apr 26, 1985. Publicly Released: May 28, 1985.
Additional Materials:
- Full Report:
Contact:
In response to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Department of Defense (DOD) traffic safety program to determine the adequacy and enforceability of DOD instructions concerning seatbelt use, and the extent to which these instructions are being enforced and complied with on military installations.
DOD requires seatbelt use by all military personnel and DOD civilian employees who operate or ride in motor vehicles on military installations. GAO found that DOD has the legal authority to issue and enforce regulations requiring universal seatbelt use by motorists travelling on DOD-controlled land; however, GAO found that DOD guidance on seatbelt use lacks sufficient specificity on enforcement and that there is little enforcement at some installations. At about half of the installations GAO contacted, officials reported that the mandatory use of seatbelts was enforceable to a great extent. Officials at other installations considered the seatbelt requirement to be difficult to enforce. Military installations which had specific penalties assessed traffic points rather than monetary fines for seatbelt violations. In visiting 53 installations, GAO found few indications of seatbelt warnings or enforcement. Surveys have shown that the use of seatbelts at military installations ranged between 48 and 99 percent, which is a far greater rate of use than that demonstrated by surveys of seatbelt use by the general public. DOD is currently revising the seatbelt requirement so that it will: (1) apply to everyone driving on a DOD road, not just military personnel and civilian employees; and (2) specify penalties for noncompliance.
Jan 7, 2021
Aircraft Noise:
Better Information Sharing Could Improve Responses to Washington, D.C. Area Helicopter Noise ConcernsGAO-21-200: Published: Jan 7, 2021. Publicly Released: Jan 7, 2021.
Dec 18, 2020
-
Automated Technologies:
DOT Should Take Steps to Ensure Its Workforce Has Skills Needed to Oversee SafetyGAO-21-197: Published: Dec 18, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 18, 2020.
Dec 17, 2020
-
Emergency Responder Safety:
States and DOT Are Implementing Actions to Reduce Roadside CrashesGAO-21-166: Published: Dec 17, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 17, 2020.
Nov 24, 2020
-
Reagan National Airport:
Information on Effects of Federal Statute Limiting Long-Distance FlightsGAO-21-176: Published: Nov 24, 2020. Publicly Released: Nov 24, 2020.
Nov 19, 2020
-
Federal-Aid Highways:
States and Local Governments Reported Benefits to Federal Highway Fund Swapping, but Impacts Cannot be Definitively DeterminedGAO-21-88: Published: Oct 20, 2020. Publicly Released: Nov 19, 2020.
Nov 16, 2020
-
Aviation Certification:
FAA Needs to Strengthen Its Design Review Process for Small AirplanesGAO-21-85: Published: Nov 16, 2020. Publicly Released: Nov 16, 2020.
Nov 9, 2020
-
Aviation Safety:
FAA's Office of Aviation Safety Should Take Additional Actions to Ensure Its Workforce Has Needed SkillsGAO-21-94: Published: Nov 9, 2020. Publicly Released: Nov 9, 2020.
Oct 29, 2020
-
Puerto Rico:
Perspectives on the Potential to Expand Air Cargo OperationsGAO-21-21: Published: Oct 29, 2020. Publicly Released: Oct 29, 2020.
Sep 30, 2020
-
Supplemental Material For GAO-20-686:
Transit Asset Management: Survey of TAM Program ParticipantsGAO-20-687SP: Published: Sep 30, 2020. Publicly Released: Sep 30, 2020. -
Transit Asset Management:
FTA Should Clarify Performance Data and Develop a Plan to Guide Future Program ImprovementsGAO-20-686: Published: Sep 30, 2020. Publicly Released: Sep 30, 2020.
Looking for more? Browse all our products here
Explore our Key Issues on Transportation
Explore our other Key Issues here
