18/12/2012 - Permalink

Belt up this Xmas

Related topics: Community / Partner organisations

With many of us out and about on the roads visiting family and friends this Christmas, the Safer Roads Partnership in West Mercia and Warwickshire is urging all motorists and their passengers to stay safe and use their seat belt every time they travel in a vehicle.

While the vast majority of people habitually ‘belt up’ every time they get into a car, many people – especially those travelling in the back of vehicles – admit that they sometimes don’t for short journeys.  According to a Department for Transport study into the use of seatbelts, journeys taken late at night, early in the morning or within low speed limit areas are other occasions where low seatbelt use is typically found.

It is the law for the driver and all passengers in the vehicle to wear their seatbelt, and national research has shown that seatbelts are around 60% effective at preventing fatal injuries and 32% effective at preventing serious injuries.  If everyone in the UK wore a seatbelt, it is estimated that over 350 lives and 1,000 serious casualties could be saved every year.  Many passengers don’t realise that – once they reach the age of 14 – the responsibility for wearing their seatbelt is their own and not the driver’s. 

Anna Higgins, Communications Manager at the Safer Roads Partnership, said:

“Although many people do wear their seatbelt, there are still some who either choose not to or simply forget.  Nationally and locally, there are still collisions occurring where people haven’t worn their seatbelt, and the injuries sustained could have been avoided if seatbelts were used.” 

“With Christmas now upon us, there are a lot of people making trips in the car to do their shopping or visit family and friends.  We’re urging everyone to stay safe over the festive period and use their seatbelt every time – no matter how short or long the trip is.  Seatbelts are an effective means of reducing serious injuries and fatalities, and anything we can do to increase their use has got to be a positive step.” 

  • Drivers and passengers who fail to wear seatbelts in the front and back of vehicles are breaking the law.
  • Drivers caught without a seatbelt face on-the-spot fines of £60. If prosecuted, the maximum fine is £500.
  • Drivers are responsible for ensuring children under the age of 14 are correctly restrained.
  • Passengers aged 14 or over are responsible for wearing their seatbelt.