Remember to Buckle Up – Seat belts save lives

Sadly, there is a growing trend of vehicle occupants choosing not to wear a seat belt, and in increasing number with fatal consequences.

In Spain, all occupants in a vehicle must wear a seat belt, and this seat belt must be worn properly to be effective, and legal. If there isn´t a seat belt available, then a passenger cannot be carried. In other words, for example, if the rear seats of a vehicle are equipped with only two seat belts, then only two passengers can sit on that seat.

Children under 135cm tall must sit in the rear seats and in an approved child restraint system suitable for them. Crash helmets are mandatory on motorbikes and scooters for all riders.

The seat belt is the most effective passive safety element in vehicles and the one that has saved the most lives. According to the data of the ESRA project (Survey of Attitudes of Road Users), carried out in 38 countries, only 80% of people in Spain declared that they have used the seat belt as a driver during the sample period, 81% admit having used it as a passenger in the front seat of the car and just 70% as a passenger in the rear seats of the car.

The data shows that although its use is mandatory for all vehicle occupants, there remains a reluctance, with the data showing that almost a quarter of vehicle occupants choose not to use a seat belt, a statistic that has been getting worse.

For its part, the World Health Organisation (WHO), also includes in its reports, the importance of the use of the seat belt and calls for countries to include the mandatory use of seat belts in legislation. Approximately 105 countries of the world population have laws that require the use of the seat belt by all occupants of a vehicle, but that is still only 67%.

If it is important that adults and children use seat belts. Adults can make the choice; children learn by example and follow the instructions of the adult when it comes to such matters. As well as the overall increasing reluctance to wear a seat belt, we also see an increase in children left unprotected in vehicles, again, tragically, with far too many fatal consequences for those who do not understand the importance, let down by the adults who should.

To clarify the situation with children furthers, Spanish legislation requires that children under 135 cm in height who travel by vehicle, in addition to travelling with the child restraint system appropriate to their size and weight as required, must be seated in the rear seats of vehicles, except:

• When the vehicle does not have rear seats.
• When all the rear seats are already occupied by other children of the same characteristics.
• When it is not possible to install all the child restraint systems in said rear seats.

Only in these cases can children occupy the front seat of the vehicle, but always using the restraint system approved to their size and weight.

Child restraint systems must always be installed in the vehicle in accordance with the instructions provided by the manufacturer.

Image by cfarnsworth from Pixabay

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