This research explores the effectiveness of a seat belt incentive program in an entire community. The project was conducted in Chapel Hill/Carrboro, North Carolina, a community with a population of 50,000, during 1983. The campaign, entitled "Seat Belts Pay Off," was comprised of several steps, including:​ (1) planning and developing support, (2) developing data collection and other evaluative procedures, (3) implementing a public education/involvement campaign, and (4) giving modest economic incentives to belted occupants of vehicles passing check points over a six-month period. Belt use was achieved matching the highest level recorded in a U.S. community.

Incentives generally ranging in value from $3 to $5 were donated by many community businesses. The prizes included meals, containers of soft drinks, $5 cash coupons, T-shirts, and gift certificates from stereo stores, a department store and a laundry/dry cleaner, etc. The incentives were given out for six months (April 19- October 17, 1983). Additionally, six monthly $500 drawings were held, along with a $1000 grand prize drawing. Eligible participants were those who had been stopped and rewarded for wearing their seat belt(s), who in turn mailed in a pre-addressed, postage-paid entry card. The drawings were conducted to stimulate the public's interest at selected intervals in the campaign.

The effectiveness of the effort was measured by monitoring driver shoulder belt usage in passenger cars equipped with shoulder belts before, during and after the educational and incentive phases. A systematic stratified sample was used to obtain weekly belt use data from seven of seventeen permanent data collection stations located all around the community. Results indicate that driver overall belt use increased from 24 percent in the baseline phase to a peak value of 41 percent in the last week of the incentive phase. The first six months of the follow-up phase show weekly belt use consistently around 36 percent, indicating that effects of the campaign have continued to persist.