Seatbelts targeted in safety research

Date: 24/10/1996

By Michael Mann

MORE widespread use of seatbelts in cars could reduce the annual death toll on Europe's roads by up to 7,000, according to the latest research from road safety campaigners.

The new report from the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) claims that concerted action by both the European Commission and member states could avoid 15&percent; of all road deaths and thousands of serious injuries.

But such improvements are only possible if 95&percent; of all car drivers and passengers (the best rate achieved anywhere in the world) can be induced to wear safety belts.

The ETSC's Jeanne Breen claims that “an EU seatbelts target would provide encouragement and focus for effective publicity and enforcement activity throughout the Community”.

Although surveys show that most people believe seatbelts are an effective way of reducing serious injury, the ETSC says that usage rates remain far too low in most countries, despite 1991 EU legislation making the wearing of front and rear seat restraints compulsory for adults and children in all cars where belts are fitted.

The Union's most safety-conscious drivers are the Germans, closely followed by the British, Swedes and Finns.

The investigation found 92&percent; of Germans used safety belts when sitting in the front seats of cars, with 68&percent; of back-seat passengers also belting up. Some 80&percent; of Swedes used rear seatbelts.

In those countries where solid data was available, the Irish, Spanish and Belgians emerged as the EU's bad boys.Tellingly perhaps, no firm statistics were available for Italy or Portugal. The latter had the dubious distinction last year of heading the league for the number of deaths per thousand tonnes of fuel consumed.

In 1995, 2,165 people were killed in 50,000 car accidents on Portuguese roads, an increase of 201 on the previous year - a far from enviable record in a country with a population of just 10 million.

According to what Breen calls “conservative estimates”, getting 95&percent; of car users to wear safety belts would save almost 1,500 lives annually in France, over 1,300 in both Germany and Italy and almost 1,000 in Spain.

With the responsibility for enforcing legislation lying in the hands of member states' judicial authorities, the ETSC sees the Union's role as providing publicity and encouragement to make people aware of the unnecessary risks they are taking.

It argues that as the EU has responsibility for design standards, it is only logical for it to take a lead in ensuring that drivers make use of the safety features incorporated in the cars they drive.

“Even the most advanced and effective restraint systems will not increase safety unless they are used,” stresses the ETSC.

The organisation firmly believes that information campaigns can make people aware of the sanctions they face if they flaunt the rules. It points to examples such as the UK and Germany, where safety belt use shot up overnight following the introduction of legislation.

In Spain and Portugal, the wearing of front seat belts has only become compulsory in urban areas within the last four years. And even now, the proportion of drivers obeying the law remains patchy.

The key to reducing road deaths lies in setting a target of 95&percent; usage by the year 2005, claims the ETSC. Similar targets are already proving successful in some of the more progressive member states such as Sweden and the Netherlands.

Transport Commissioner Neil Kinnock welcomed the report, saying: “This once more underlines the significant potential that seatbelt use has for reducing deaths and injuries in road traffic accidents - a matter that the Commission shall look into very actively in the coming months.” Safety campaigners are now waiting for the results of Swedish research into techniques to prevent cars from being driven unless the occupants have put on their safety belts.