Donegal campaign urges use of seatbelts

A two-month campaign to urge drivers in Donegal to wear seatbelts was launched in Letterkenny yesterday.

A two-month campaign to urge drivers in Donegal to wear seatbelts was launched in Letterkenny yesterday.

The initiative, which follows a number of fatal crashes in the county, will be overseen by the Donegal Road Safety Working Group, which comprises representatives from Donegal County Council, the Garda, the Health Service Executive and the National Roads Authority (NRA).

A survey carried out by the NRA last year found that, though 86 per cent of drivers and front-seat passengers wear seatbelts, the rate for back-seat passengers was only 46 per cent. The figures were lowest among males.

Separate research published last month found that of 69 children killed while travelling in a vehicle from 1996-2000, only 23 per cent wore seat belts.

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Just 15 per cent of the children seriously injured during the same period were restrained while travelling.

Speaking at the launch yesterday, local TD Pat "the Cope" Gallagher said the campaign was part of a broader attempt to change behaviour and attitudes among road users.

"Road safety is a constant battle that requires the efforts of Government, the gardaí, local agencies, schools and individuals in order to be effective," he said. "Road safety depends crucially on public support from individual road users.

"It is only when road users change their attitude and their behaviour that we will have safer roads," he said.