Agenda - 04-19-1988 - Laserfiche WebLink

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025 PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION Northern Orange County', the rural neighbor of Chapel Hill/Carrboro, was not included in the UNC-Highway Safety Research Center 's seat belt safety program, Seat Belts Pay- Off, conducted in 1984 . Consequently, in January 1987 , at the beginning of the Post-Law/Citation Phase, when Chapel Hill/Carrboro reported driver seat belt usage rates at 80%, rural Northern Orange county was estimated to be at the 75. 7% level . Since that time, driver usage rates have declined both in the urban area as well as the rural . The UNC-Highway Safety Research Center (HSRC) has estimated Northern Orange driver seat belt usage to be 59 .3% at present . This low rate of driver seat belt usage in Northern Orange County needs to be raised through an educational/incentive program, similar to the program in Chapel Hill/Carrboro. TARGET AUDIENCE The Seat Belt Program conducted in Northern Orange County (by the Orange County Health Department-County Employee Wellness Program, HEALTH YOURSELF, in collaboration with the Agricultural Extension Service, 4-H Youth and Adult volunteers) will be targeted at the Orange County employees (421 ) . This number also includes Orange-Person-Chatham Mental Health employees and Occoneechee Regional Library employees located in Hillsborough. Additionally, the seat belt program will extend into the community and will target grocery shoppers at the two local supermarkets. Rationale for target population: 1 . Orange County Government is the largest employer in Northern Orange County. These office parking lots not only serve the employees, but also many Northern Orange county residents using the county services. 2. The program will be held at the two supermarkets located in Hillsborough. This group of shoppers is considered to be representative of Northern Orange residents. GOAL AND OBJECTIVES Goal : To increase seat belt usage rates among residents of Northern Orange County to 80%.