DOE's seatbelt advertisement clicks with public

The Department of Environment is celebrating a major success in raising public awareness of the benefits of wearing a seat belt.

Independent research supplied to the Department of Environment (DOE) has shown that over three quarters of 16-34 year olds have admitted to changing their behaviour as a result of the DOE’s hard-hitting seatbelts campaign – with 44 per cent saying that they had worn a seatbelt more often since seeing the ad.

Their dramatic ad ‘Damage’, which fronts the campaign, shows how, in a collision, an unbelted passenger in the back of a car ends up killing the driver, front seat passenger and himself, whilst critically injuring his girlfriend and leaving her with permanent brain damage.

Speaking on Tuesday February 19 Sam Foster, Minister of the Environment, who launched the ‘Damage’ campaign last June, said the findings of the research were “very encouraging”.

“Research has validated the tough approach taken by DOE in our seatbelts campaign” Mr Foster said.

“Clearly, tough tactics have worked in dramatising to drivers and passengers alike that not wearing a seatbelt is no longer an option. This, alongside the tough approach by the Police Service of Northern Ireland to enforcing the law in relation to wearing of seatbelts, has had a positive impact on the safety of the travelling public.”

The report reveals that since the ad went on air, three quarters of the public in Northern Ireland now deem it to be “very inexcusable” not to wear a seatbelt.

When people were asked to agree or disagree with the statement that “to wear a seatbelt or not is a personal choice because it doesn’t affect other people,” there had been a 35 per cent improvement in the number of 16-31 year olds who strongly disagree.

Seven out of ten of 16-34 years olds said that it is “very socially irresponsible” not to wear a seatbelt and eight out of ten also agree that “not wearing a seatbelt is selfish”. (AMcE)