Seatbelts save lives and we want everybody wearing them

NZ Transport Agency and NZ Police welcome the AA research report findings that identify those groups of people who aren’t wearing seatbelts.

“For most people it’s a habitual thing; you get into your car and you put on your seatbelt.

But unfortunately, for a small group of people, this is not the case,” says Superintendent Steve Greally, National Manager Road Policing.

“Police provided data for this research because it helps us figure out who is in this small group of people.

The next step is how to reach them.

“We know you’re 60 percent more likely to survive a crash in the front seat if you’re wearing your seatbelt, 44 percent more likely to survive in the back seat.

“You wouldn’t jump out of a plane without a parachute.

In a car crash you don’t have time to hit pause and put your belt on.

Transport Agency Director, Safety and Environment Harry Wilson Safety also welcomes the research and says seat belts save lives, it’s that simple.

“In a safe system, no-one deserves to be killed or seriously injured because someone has made a mistake, but people also need to take responsibility for making good choices, including using proven life-saving features like seat belts.

If you make a mistake on the road – or if someone else does – the simple, inescapable fact is that you are much more likely to be seriously injured or killed if you’re not wearing a seatbelt.

“Seatbelts support and protect you if you're in a crash or when your vehicle stops suddenly.

The force on safety belts can be as much as 20 times your weight – this is how hard you'd hit the inside of your vehicle without a seatbelt on.

“We’re looking forward to using this new research and working together and with our partner agencies on what we can do to reach the people who choose not to wear a seatbelt, to change their minds and create a new habit – buckling up every time they get in the car.”

ENDS

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