5% Back Seat Passengers Don't Wear Seat Belt

Five percent of backseat passengers in Northern Ireland's cars do not wear a seat belt, according to a new report.

The Northern Ireland Survey of Seat Belt Wearing shows that, overall, wearing rates in 2013 remain high at 98%.

However, it found that back-seat wearing rates are lower, at 95%.

This is still an improvement from 1994, when only around one in two back street passengers were properly restrained.

In 2013, 4% of children aged 10-13, 5% of those aged 5-9, 3% of those aged 1-4 and one child aged under one year were unrestrained when travelling in the back of a car.

13,293 cars were observed and details of 19,792 occupants recorded during the survey.

It found drivers in 2013 were more likely to be restrained (98%) than passengers (97%).

95% of back seat passengers wore a restraint in 2013, similar to the 2012 rate and up from 93% in 2009.

98% of male and 99% female drivers were restrained in 2013. The level of males drivers wearing a restraint has not changed since 2011, while female drivers increased by 1% from 2012.

It also found 99% of drivers on rural roads were restrained, compared to 98% of drivers on urban roads in 2013.

1% of drivers in 2013 were observed using a mobile phone.

Environment Minister Mark H Durkan has encouraged parents to ensure children wear seat belts at all times while travelling in a car.

"I commend the vast majority of people who use their seat belts," he said.

"Many people are alive today who would quite simply not be, if seat belt wearing was the rate it was a few years ago.

"When you think though of how many drivers and passengers travel every day, even very small percentages not using belts could be significant. My Department estimates that overall two lives, 22 serious injuries and 120 slight injuries could be saved each year were a 100% wearing rate observed. Last year seven people died and 36 were seriously injured who were not wearing a seatbelt.

"I am particularly concerned that all children are not buckled up safely in vehicles. And it is not just about wearing a seatbelt. For a child aged between one and seven using an appropriate child restraint reduces the risk of injury by a further 70% over using a seat belt alone."

Minister Durkan continued: "Most people now regard themselves as seatbelt wearers but do say that sometimes they forget or remove the seatbelt briefly. If a person is sitting in the front of a car, wearing a belt will make them almost 50% less likely to die in a collision."

(IT/MH)