Seatbelt use at record high - RSA

Seatbelt use among adults has hit a record high, but back seat passengers still pose a problem, a new survey has found.

The Road Safety Authority's National Seatbelt Survey 2008 revealed that 89 per cent of adults, including drivers, front and rear-seat passengers, are heeding the warnings and wearing their seatbelt while in the car.

Some 90 per cent of drivers are complying with seatbelt laws, a 2 per cent rise on 2007 figures, and 35 per cent rise on 10 years earlier. This reflects a wider trend that showed front seat passengers are more likely to wear seatbelts than those travelling in the back of the car.

The figures showed that 2 per cent fewer men wear seatbelts in the front of the car compared to a year earlier.

Primary and secondary schoolchildren are also belting up, with figures up 4 per cent and 9 per cent respectively. However, 6 per cent fewer adults are wearing seatbelts while travelling in the back seat compared to a year earlier. Female drivers are two times more likely to wear seatbelts than male drivers. Drivers are also less likely to belt up when travelling on rural, regional and county roads.

Minister for Transport Noel Demspey said a "persistent few" were not listening and urged them to change their behaviour.

The survey was carried out in 2008 among 16,999 adults and 4,316 primary and secondary schoolchildren across the country.

The RSA has called on road users to avoid taking risks over the bank holiday weekend.

"While it's encouraging to see adult front seatbelt use increasing and more schoolchildren buckling up, it really is cause for concern when adults continue to sit in the back seat of a car, unbelted. In 2007, 18 per cent of all back seat passengers killed were not wearing their seatbelts. It really does not get much clearer than that," said RSA chief executive Noel Brett.

"This is about making choices, not about making excuses. You can make the choice to be responsible and ensure everyone, including you, is wearing their seatbelt or you can choose to be a risk-taker, and risk killing yourself or your loved ones."

Four people were killed and 10 were seriously injured over the August bank holiday weekend last year. Gardaí will be targeting speeding, drink driving, dangerous driving and the wearing of seatbelts in operations across the country this weekend.

Drivers caught not wearing their seatbelts now face up to four penalty points and a fine of up to €800 if convicted in court. A similar penalty applies to those who fail to ensure passengers under 17 are adequately restrained.

By the end of June, 55,393 penalty points notices had been issued to drivers for failure to wear seatbelts, while 7,117 were issued to those who failed to ensure children are adequately restrained.