SUSTAINABILITY OF THE EFFECTS OF ABU DHABI SEAT BELT INTERVENTION ON SEAT BELT USE IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Abstract

Although seat belt legislation was implemented in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 1999, the prevalence of seat belt use did not exceed 15% postimplementation (El-Sadig et al, 2002). Based on this low prevalence rate, an intervention consisted of social marketing and enhance traffic enforcement strategies were implemented in Abu Dhabi over 4 months period. The prevalence of seat belt use among drivers and passengers increased from 35% to 45% and from 26% to 33%, respectively (pre- to immediately postintervention). There prevalence among local drivers increased from 5.6% pre to 10% immediately postintervention and for non-local drivers from 54% to..