Background
On January 1, 2002, the Alberta Centre for Injury Control & Research (ACICR) in partnership with Alberta Health and Wellness, Alberta Transportation and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) assumed administrative responsibility for this provincial injury reduction program. The partnerships have matured and in 2003, Memorandums of Understanding were signed between the University of Alberta and Alberta Transportation, the University of Alberta and the RCMP regarding the coordination of AORP. The focus of the Alberta Occupant Restraint Program (AORP) is the reduction of injuries/trauma as a result of the non-use or misuse of occupant restraints and child safety seats in motor vehicles. The program originated in 1995 as a child injury program and in 1999 the mandate of program expanded to include adult occupant restraint programming. Annual evaluations ensure that the program remains on target with provincial and national goals and objectives. Links to research and surveys, such as the Rural Alberta Seat Belt Survey, are maintained to ensure measurable outcomes are captured and used for annual planning.

Goal
To achieve a provincial seat belt wearing rate of 95% by 2010.

Objectives

1. To increase the rural rates from 69.5% as measured against the 1999 Alberta Rural Seat Belt Survey. (76% in 2001; 87% in 2004)
2. To increase the urban rates from 89% as measured against the 1999 Transport Canada Survey. (84% in 2001; 86% in 2003)

Strategy
A 10-year strategic plan has been developed that is in line with provincial and national strategies for road safety and occupant restraints. Annual 12-month action plans are developed in conjunction with partners and stakeholders.

1. Funding and Resources - To ensure appropriate and adequate funding and resources are allocated to identified project priorities.
2. Evaluation and Research - To develop formative, process, impact and outcome evaluations of identified components of the overall provincial program, which will support and facilitate the collection and linkage of data to ensure decisions are evidence based.
3. Enforcement - To use consistent enforcement of legislation and to ensure appropriate regulations and sanctions are in place, to increase awareness and compliance of the correct use of occupant and child passenger restraints.
4. Coordination - To provide for the effective and efficient coordination, planning and administration for provincial occupant restraint programming under the direction of the Alberta Occupant Restraint Program Steering Committee.
5. Advocacy - To advocate for the development and implementation of evidence-based engineering, and legislation and policy change to improve occupant restraint protection.
6. Communications - To use appropriate targeted messaging focus tested for the targeted population(s) to increase awareness and education to positively influence attitudes and behaviors relating to the use of occupant restraints.

Partners

• Alberta Centre for Injury Control & Research [1]
• Alberta Health & Wellness [2]
• Alberta Infrastructure and Transportation [3]
• Alberta Solicitor General:  Sheriffs 
• Insurance Bureau of Canada [4]
• Calgary Police Service [5]
• Edmonton Police Service [6]
• Kidsafe Connection [7] - Edmonton
• Kidsafe Connection [8]- Calgary
• Municipal police services [9]
• RCMP [10] (Royal Canadian Mounted Police)
• Regional Health Authorities of Alberta [11]
• St. John Ambulance [12]

Sponsors

• Alberta Health and Wellness [13]
• Alberta Infrastructure and Transportation [14]
• Royal Canadian Mounted Police [15]
• ACICR for Administrative support [16]

For more information, contact:
Ms. Joyce McBean Salvador,
AORP Provincial Coordinator
Phone: (780) 412-5553
Email: joyce.mcbean@rcmp-grc.gc.ca [17]