PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
Because of its primary enforcement occupant protection laws, seat belt use in Iowa ranks among the highest in the nation, averaging 78 percent in 2000. Nevertheless, each year in Iowa more than 400 people are killed, and over 3,000 are seriously injured in motor vehicle crashes. The city of Marion, Iowa experiences an average of 700 traffic crashes each year, resulting in more than 800 personal injuries from 1995 to 2001.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
To decrease personal injuries resulting from traffic crashes occurring in the city, the Marion Police Department developed the Marion Occupant Protection program in 1995. Objectives of the program are to:

• Increase seat belt use from 83 percent to 90 percent
• Issue more seat belt citations to motorists who do not comply with occupant protection laws
• Reduce the number of traffic crashes at high-risk locations throughout the city
• Increase public information and education efforts through enforcement activities

STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES
In October 1995, the Marion Police Department received grant funding from the Iowa Governor's Traffic Safety Bureau (GTSB) to develop an ongoing enforcement program focused on reducing personal injuries resulting from traffic crashes, and increasing traffic citations for non-compliance with Iowa's occupant protection laws. Police officials believed that there was a direct correlation between the number of citations issued and the total injuries resulting from traffic crashes. Using overtime funds, law enforcement officers were assigned to selected locations in the city, for monthly enforcement operations.

Specific activities associated with the Marion Occupant Protection program include:

• Identifying high-risk intersections and locations throughout the city for focused enforcement efforts
• Directing a minimum of twelve public information and education initiatives, including child safety seat clinics, distributing monthly newsletters and pamphlets and promoting enforcement waves through the local media
• Participating in four statewide Occupant Protection Special Traffic Enforcement Programs (OP sTEP) waves each year
• Conducting pre- and post-enforcement occupant protection surveys for local enforcement operations, as well as OP sTEP wave

RESULTS
During Fiscal Year (FY) 2001, the Marion Occupant Protection program achieved impressive results. The seat belt use rate increased from 83 percent in 1995 to 93 percent in 2001. Law enforcement officers issued 1,722 occupant restraint citations in FY 2001, up from 741 in FY 1996. Injuries related to traffic crashes decreased more than 50 percent, from 217 in FY 1996, to 107 in FY 2001. The Marion Police Department clearly established a direct relationship between the number of safety restraint citations issued and decreased injuries from motor vehicle crashes.

Under a current grant, police officials are using the national Traffic and Criminal Software (TraCS) data collection system to directly enter state crash report data, along with citation information. The data is being used to build and analyze a database to assist officers in identifying high-risk crash locations for selective enforcement activities.