The Donegal Road Safety Working Group today launch their latest road safety awareness campaign to remind people that seat belts save lives, even on the shortest trips and at the lowest speeds.
The aim of the Belt Up campaign is to tell drivers and passengers of the importance of wearing your seat belt both in the front and the back of a vehicle. This is based on the fact that the real crash often happens inside the car with the unrestrained person impacting the windscreen, dashboard, and with other passengers. The campaign seeks to focus on back seat passengers and children, particularly on the school run.
Welcoming the campaign, the Chairman of the Road Safety Working Group, Stephen Lambert said, “Seat belts are proven lifesavers and have been shown to reduce the severity of injuries in the event of a collision. It is essential that they are worn front and rear on every journey no matter how short.
A recent survey by the Road Safety Authority has found that while there is overall improvement in seat belt wearing, many primary school children still travel to school unbuckled. In the survey a total of 562 primary school children surveyed in rear seats found only 360 to be wearing a seat belt.”
Mr Lambert added, “ Every day in this country, almost two out of every five parents put their children at risk by not strapping them into the back seat of the car. Parents are prepared to gamble a lifetime of grief for the sake of a minute; the time it takes to make sure your child is properly restrained.”
EU law recently introduced, requires all children who are under 150 centimetres in height and weigh less than 36 kilograms – generally children up to 12 years - to be in an appropriate child car seat. Understanding the new law and giving your child the best protection could save their life.
Donegal County Council’s Road Safety Officer, Eamonn Brown said, “ The message is simple, before you set off on any journey, no matter how long or short, ensure everyone in the vehicle has Belted Up. Much of the injuries and many of the deaths on our roads would not occur if drivers and passengers were adequately restrained by safety belts. This is one of the easiest things people can do to play their part in reducing the number of people seriously injured or killed on our roads.”
The RSA website www.rsa.ie gives further details on seat belts and the recently introduced seat belt legislation. The campaign will be supported with leaflets, posters and a media campaign over the next six weeks.