Over 100 lives saved annually by seatbelts, report finds

The lives of more than 100 Irish drivers are saved each year by wearing seatbelts, according to a study published in Brussels yesterday.

The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) study on European seatbelt wearing rates estimates that across Europe almost 12,000 lives were saved in 2005 by the use of seatbelts by drivers. In 2005, the study says, 129 lives were saved on Irish roads because of the use of seatbelts by car drivers.

Ireland is ranked 10th out of 24 countries whose seatbelt-wearing rates were studied, with 86 per cent of drivers and passengers using belts in 2005.

In France, 97 per cent of people travelling in the front of cars in 2005 were said to be wearing their belts, while in Germany and in Malta the figure was 96 per cent.

In Britain, 90 per cent of those travelling in the front of cars belt up.

The rate of seatbelt-wearing in the backs of cars is lower than front seat rates across the board but Ireland ranks 12th out of 18 states that record such data.

Only 46 per cent of rear-seat passengers in the Republic belt up, compared to 89 per cent in Germany, 84 per cent in the UK and 70 per cent in France.

The ETSC believes thousands of lives are saved by the use of seatbelts each year.

It bases its estimates on research that suggests wearing a seatbelt cuts by half the number of drivers who would die in potentially fatal crashes.