Why You MUST Wear Your Car Seat Belt

Belt Up or Pay the Ultimate Price

Wearing a seat belt in the front seat saves thousands of lives every year. The law requires anyone in the front or back of a car to wear a seat belt or appropriate restraint, if one is available.

Although most drivers and front seat passengers will belt up, many people lapse when choosing not to wear their set belt in the back of the car. This is despite the fact that back seat passengers not wearing seat belts are three times more likely to suffer death or serious injury as passengers who do.

A Transport Research Laboratory study revealed that only 54% of adult passengers wear seat belts in the back of the car compared with 94% of passengers in the front. In a crash at 30mph, if you are unrestrained an impact could result in death or serious injury to both yourself and front seat occupants.

Since seat belt wearing was made compulsory in 1983, it is estimated that casualties have been reduced by at least 370 deaths and 7,000 serious injuries per year for front seat passengers and in excess of 70 deaths and 11,000 serious injuries for rear seat belt wearers.

The penalty for not wearing a rear seat belt is a fixed fine of £30, or if the case goes to court, a maximum fine of £500. New regulations governing the use of child car seats are due to come into force on 18 September 2006 which will effect every car journey that all children under 12 years old make

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