Duval Traffic Safety Team Collaborates to Increase Occupant Restraint Usage — District Two Community Traffic Safety Program Welcomed the Florida Minority Task Force on Occupant Protection to Northeast Florida
Introduction
In 2013, the Duval Traffic Safety Team led an impactful occupant protection campaign in collaboration with the Florida Minority Task Force on Occupant Protection (FMTFOP), a partnership that continued for several years. The District Two Community Traffic Safety Program donated materials, artwork, team member volunteers, resources, and knowledge to the FMTFOP to help improve seat belt usage in Northeast Florida.
This initiative was brought to Jacksonville through the dedicated efforts of Andrea Atran, FDOT District Two Community Traffic Safety Program Coordinator. Her outreach to Dr. Morya Willis and Reggie Bell, Co-Chairs of the FMTFOP, catalyzed a robust campaign to improve safety seatbelt usage among Black and Hispanic communities in Duval County. A heartfelt, “You Love Me? Buckle Up and Watch Me Grow!” plea from a child, targeted towards parents. “Poor Choices Lead You Down the Wrong Road” focused on young adult drivers, featuring powerful graphics with “Buckle Up” and “Phone Down” messages.
This summary report combines context, data analysis, and community insights to present an in-depth look at the program’s development, execution, and success. It underscores how strategic partnerships, grassroots outreach, and data-driven actions can result in measurable improvements in traffic safety.
Background and Rationale
Motor vehicle crashes remain a leading cause of death among young people in the United States, with minority populations disproportionately affected. Black children aged 5–9 are three times more likely to be killed in vehicle crashes than their White counterparts, and Hispanic children face a 72% higher fatality rate. Teenagers in these groups are also significantly more at risk.
Despite overall improvements in Florida’s seat belt usage rates, minority groups continued to lag behind. From 2005 to 2010, over half of all vehicle fatalities in Florida involved unrestrained occupants. Nationally, Black children are 50% less likely and Hispanic children three times less likely to use proper restraints. This staggering disparity drives home the importance of targeted occupant protection initiatives.
Launching the Initiative in Duval County
In 2013, Andrea Atran extended a formal invitation to Dr. Morya Willis and Reggie Bell to bring the FMTFOP efforts to Jacksonville. Atran organized and facilitated critical meetings with the Mayor of Jacksonville, local law enforcement, and civic leaders to gain support and align efforts with citywide safety priorities. The Duval Traffic Safety Team provided recommendations for location collection sites and team members to collect data. Some of the materials supplied included banners, flags, tip cards, and football toss game boards. Items were created with English and Spanish versions.
This high-level support opened vital doors, including access to neighborhood-level data and assistance from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO), particularly its International Affairs Unit. Andrea Atran’s leadership in site selection, outreach coordination, and inter-agency collaboration laid the groundwork for the campaign’s success. Dr. Morya Willis oversaw research design and evaluation, ensuring methodological rigor and reliable data collection.
Duval Occupant Protection Site Selection Strategy
Identifying appropriate outreach locations involved a mix of data analysis, community feedback, and boots-on-the-ground research:
- Meetings with the Jacksonville Mayor’s Office and JSO to assess high-priority neighborhoods
- Identification of churches, daycares, restaurants, grocery stores, and other ethnic community anchors
- Analysis of Hispanic-origin 911 call locations and upcoming community events
- Neighborhood visits and informal surveys of local store clerks and residents
- Field verification drives with FDOT Assistant District Two Traffic Operations Engineer, Chris LeDew, and Duval Traffic Safety Team members to ensure safety and visibility
This process resulted in 32 outreach and data collection sites: 16 focused on Black communities and 16 on Hispanic populations.
Implementation Model
The campaign followed a three-phase model:
- Pre-Observational Surveys: Conducted in February and March 2013 to benchmark seat belt use.
- Community Outreach: Executed through face-to-face engagement, educational material distribution, and car seat events.
- Post-Observational Surveys: Conducted in March and April 2013 to evaluate the impact.
University of Florida engineering students were trained and deployed to conduct standardized observational surveys. In total, 45,719 occupants in 37,964 vehicles were recorded.
Community Outreach and Engagement
Outreach activities were strategically designed and culturally sensitive. Teams canvassed neighborhoods, engaged business owners, and left behind bilingual posters, flyers, and educational giveaways. Special events included child car seat safety checkups and safety day festivals.
We hosted a Child Passenger Safety course in Duval to help recruit, train, and increase the number of nationally certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians. These volunteers were equipped to offer long-term car seat education and assistance within their communities.
Notable Outreach Sites for Duval Occupant Protection
- Ministerio Apostlico
- Iglesia Bautista Fuente De Lux
- Portside Trailer Park
- Eureka Gardens Apartments
- University Christian School
- Hispanic Church Group on University Blvd
Survey Results and Impact
The campaign exceeded its targets, with statistically significant increases in seat belt use across all key demographics:
- Overall occupant restraint use: +5.4% (from 75.71% to 81.11%)
- Hispanic population: +7.89% (from 74.83% to 82.73%)
- Black population: +6.05% (from 69.87% to 75.92%)
- Passenger use: +9.86%
- Rear-seat use (all races): +14.32%
The campaign also influenced broader populations:
- Whites: +4.74%
- Other races: +4.89%
Additional Results by Demographics:
- Male restraint use: +5.26%
- Female restraint use: +5.44%
- Truck occupants: +7.73%
- Rear-seat passengers (Hispanic): +23.03%
- Rear-seat passengers (Black): +11.08%
Sustainability and Capacity Building
The certification of community members as Child Passenger Safety Technicians ensures that this initiative has lasting value beyond the initial outreach window. These technicians now work alongside local Safe Kids chapters to continue distributing car seats and teaching proper installation and restraint practices.
Additionally, this was supported by the TrafficSafetyTeam.org website, which provides downloadable materials, program updates, and resources to support ongoing awareness, education, and community engagements.
Duval Occupant Protection Lessons Learned
- Grassroots outreach is effective: Person-to-person contact and culturally appropriate messaging resonate with communities.
- Partnerships are essential: city government, law enforcement, local businesses, and churches amplify the campaign’s reach.
- Data informs impact: Rigorous evaluation validates strategy and guides future improvements.
- Sustainability matters: Training local technicians builds long-term community capacity.
Conclusion
Through a coordinated, multi-agency approach spearheaded by Andrea Atran and led by Dr. Morya Willis and FMTFOP, the Duval Traffic Safety Team achieved meaningful gains in seat belt use among traditionally underserved populations. This campaign has since become a statewide model for culturally responsive occupant protection efforts.
The Duval Traffic Safety Team continued to expand these efforts, targeting new neighborhoods, recruiting additional volunteers, and building on the trust and momentum created.