SEATBELTS

Overview: seatbelts

> What are seatbelts?

> Seatbelt use in Canada
> Myths and misconceptions about
seatbelts
> Solutions
What are seatbelts?
> Mandatory safety feature provided
for each seat in the vehicle.
> Secures passengers by crossing
their chest/waist with a material
belt that fastens into the side of
the seat.
> Other safety features such as
airbags and head restraints are
more effective if the occupant is
wearing their seatbelt.
Importance of seatbelts
> Seatbelts reduce risk of
serious injury to the
head, chest and
extremities by 50%-83%.
> Even with more
sophisticated safety
features, seatbelts are
still considered the most
important.
Importance of seatbelts
> Seatbelts reduce the movement of occupants inside the
vehicle during a crash.
» Body’s contact with other objects in the vehicle
(steering wheel, dashboard) is minimized.
» Prevents passengers from becoming projectiles in a
crash and potentially killing other occupants.
> Prevents occupants from being thrown out of the vehicle.
» 3/4 of occupants ejected from a vehicle will die.
Seatbelt use in Canada
> Seatbelt use in Canada increased from 93% in 2007
to 95% in 2010.
> In 2007, the 7% of Canadians that did not wear
seatbelts accounted for almost two-fifths (40%) of
collision fatalities.
> Seatbelts save a thousand lives a year in Canada*.
> Increasing seatbelt usage to 100% would save a
significant number of lives.

*Data from Transport Canada 2010

Occupants who don’t use seatbelts
> Males;
> Drivers aged 19-24;
> Those who live in rural
areas;
> Occupants of pick-up
trucks;
> Risky drivers; and,
> Occupants who have
consumed alcohol.
Low rate of seatbelt use
> Young drivers are less likely to wear seatbelts when:
» driving late at night;
» with passengers who have been drinking; and,
» with passengers under the age of 29.
> Young passengers have a lower rate of seatbelt use
than young drivers:
» Seatbelt use is much lower among back seat
occupants (89%) than front seat occupants (96%)*.
Prevalence of belt use among crash victims

> In Canada between 2006 and 2010, the percentage

of drivers who were fatally injured in a crash
ranged from 33.6% to 36.9%
> In serious injury crashes, more passengers were
found to be without a seatbelt compared to drivers
(20.5%-24.8% between 2006-2010 compared to
12.9%-16.2% respectively).
*Data from Transport Canada 2010
Myths about seatbelts
> Myth: When there are airbags, you
don’t need seatbelts.
> Fact: Airbags, without wearing
seatbelts, can kill*.
> Myth: Seatbelts prevent passengers
from escaping burning vehicles and
vehicles submerged in water.
> Fact: Seatbelts prevent occupants
from being knocked unconscious,
increasing the chance of escaping by
three to five times.
Myths about seatbelts
> Myth: Seatbelts are unnecessary for short trips at low
speeds.
> Fact: 70% of road crashes where the occupants are
unrestrained occur at speeds under 50 km/h and 2/3 of
crashes happen less than 15 km/h from home.
> Myth: It’s safer to be thrown out of a vehicle in a crash.
> Fact: An occupant is four times more likely to die if
thrown from a vehicle in a crash.
Teen thoughts on seatbelts
> Although teens know that driving without a seatbelt is a
hazardous behaviour, many only wear seatbelts because:
» it’s something parents insist on.
» they may get stopped by police and get a hefty fine.
» the weather is bad or they are with a dangerous driver.
> Regardless of the opinions of young drivers, seatbelts should be
worn at all times: occupants that don’t wear a belt are putting
others at risk for injury and/or death.
Legislation
> All provincial Highway Traffic Acts have
laws regarding the proper use of
seatbelts:
» All seatbelts must be working.
» All occupants must be wearing a
seatbelt.
» If passengers are under the age of
16 it is the responsibility of the
driver that they have a functioning
seatbelt and are wearing it properly.
Solutions
> In order for seatbelts to reduce the risk of death or injury in a
collision up to 60%, they must be worn properly:
» Buckle belt securely;
» Fit lap belt snugly across hips, not abdomen;
» Ensure belt sits firmly across the chest, never tucked
under the arm;
» Do not recline the seat while wearing a seatbelt in a
moving vehicle; and,
» Allow only one passenger per belt.
Seatbelt initiatives
> The rollover simulator:
» Shows the difference between a crash while wearing a
seatbelt and a crash without wearing a seatbelt.
» A motor rolls a cab of a vehicle simulating a rollover incident,
with straw-filled dummies.
> Click it or ticket:
» Raised awareness about the fines for not wearing a seatbelt.
» Television commercials, posters, and other public
advertisements made the program a success.
For more information:
> www.yndrc.tirf.ca

> SGI - Rollover Simulator

> NHTSA - Click It or Ticket

> Sussex Safer Road – Embrace Life – YouTube

Quiz: true or false?
>All provincial Highway Traffic Acts
state that all occupants must be
wearing working seatbelts.
>Other vehicle safety features are less
effective if the occupant is wearing a
seatbelt.
Quiz: multiple choice
Occupants who don’t use seatbelts are
commonly:
A. Male
B. Aged 19-24
C. Have consumed alcohol
D. All of the above
Discussion
>If passengers in your car aren’t
wearing their seatbelts, what would
you say or do?