Road Safety GB North East says the region’s casualty figures demonstrate the ‘clear link’ between not wearing a seatbelt and more severe injuries in the event of a collision.
Data shows that since 2017, around a third (32%) of the people killed in vehicle collisions on North East roads were not wearing a seatbelt.
This compares to 5% of the total casualties.
Road Safety GB NE warns this demonstrates the clear link between not being fastened in and the severity of injuries – and is calling on all drivers and passengers to ‘buckle up’.
In total, 306 of those injured on the region’s roads since 2017 were not wearing seatbelts – 27 of whom were killed and 105 were seriously injured.
Those aged between 17-20 years were the highest risk group, accounting for 15% of all injuries and 19% of fatalities involving people not wearing a seatbelt.
Cheryl Ford-Lyddon, chair of Road Safety GB NE, said: “The majority of people are sensible and wear a seatbelt every time they get in their vehicle, but the figures show that too many people are risking their lives by failing to buckle up before they set off.
“We know that seatbelts and child seats save lives. People are needlessly killed every year purely because they weren’t fastened in properly. Perhaps they would have survived if they had taken the time to buckle up. That is a dreadful thought for their loved ones to have to live with.
“It’s not just drivers we are concerned about. It’s actually passengers who make up the vast majority of these injuries, particularly for the younger 17-20 group, with 78 percent being a passenger.
“We want to appeal to drivers. Make sure you and your passengers are wearing a seatbelt before you set off – it’s your moral responsibility to do that. If you crash, you could have a fatality on your conscience.”
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