Half of drivers aged 18-24 admit to being in a car with someone not belted up in the past year, according to new research by Brake, the road safety charity. Young drivers are nearly three times more likely to be in a car with someone who isn’t belted up compared to all drivers and more than eight times more likely than drivers over 65. These findings come from a survey of 2,000 drivers, commissioned by Brake and launched on the anniversary of seat belt wearing first being made mandatory in the UK, 36 years ago today (31 January 1983).
These findings follow on from statistics released by the Department for Transport last year, which showed that 27% of the 787 car occupants who died in 2017 were not wearing seat belts. That equals 212 lives which potentially could have been saved if a seat belt was being used, more than four every week. Most concerning of all, these statistics showed a 7-percentage point rise on 2016 (20%), indicating that non-seat belt use is increasing.
Wearing your seat belt could save your life. Don’t forget to make sure everyone else in the vehicle is also wearing their seat belt or a suitable child restraint. Click here for more information about seat belts.
Source: Brake the road safety charity. Click here for more information or search for Brake the road safety charity.
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