This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Increase in car seat belt usage
06/01/2003
Rear seat passengers in cars were today encouraged to wear seat belts, as new research showed a small overall increase in the wearing of belts since a similar study in 1997.
The research, published today, looked at compliance in Scotland with seat belt wearing legislation, also found an increase in the use of rear seat belts.
The Executive commissioned the Halcrow Group Ltd to carry out research to find out what changes there have been in the rate of seat belt wearing since the first study was carried out in 1997.
Deputy Transport Minister Lewis Macdonald said:
"Seat belts are very effective in reducing the severity of injuries, I am pleased to see that the overall high usage of seat belts has continued and that more passengers are now wearing rear seat belts.
"However, considerably fewer passengers travelling in rear seats wear seat belts than occupants of front seats and it is particularly worrying that fewer children under five are using restraints. Unbelted rear seat passengers not only risk injury to themselves but they cause death or injury to between 8 and 15 front seat passengers in Britain each year.
"We are committed to achieving a reduction of 40% in the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads by 2010 and to halving the number of children killed or seriously injured.
"The research published today will enable the Scottish Road Safety Campaign to develop a targeted approach to encourage increased use of seat belts particularly by male drivers, rear seat passengers and children under 13 years old."
The main findings of the research report are:
- 88.6% of all vehicle occupants were observed to be wearing an appropriate restraint, a 2.2% increase since 1997.
- Light van and taxi occupants had substantially lower compliance rates than car occupiers.
- 95% of car drivers, 91% of front seat passengers and 78% of rear seat passengers were appropriately restrained.
- There continues to be a link between the behaviour of car drivers and passengers, with a greater likelihood of passengers wearing seat belts where the driver also used a seat belt.
- Overall, little change in seat belt use was recorded. However, rear seat restraint use rose from 71% to 78%, and there was a decline in restraint usage for children under 5 years.
- 1% of drivers were observed to be using hand-held mobile phones.
The research measured the rate of seat belt wearing by drivers of cars, vans and taxis, and front and rear seat passengers (including children) in Scotland. Two further strands of research were added to the survey; to establish the current extent of use of hand-held mobile phones by drivers of cars and vans in Scotland and; to carry out a literature review of research into the incorrect fitting of child car seat restraints, to find out if further research is required in this area.
The research report and findings will be issued free of charge to local authorities in Scotland, the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) and Road Safety Officers.