Research conducted by An Garda Siochana during the first six months of 2012 has revealed that 23% of drivers and 29% of passengers killed in accidents were not wearing seatbelts; and that these figures are not all that different from those collected two years ago.
Since 2010, the number of drivers not wearing seatbelts has risen by 7%, meaning that 5% of road users overall are still not using them.
"Not wearing a seatbelt is not cool, neither is it a matter of personal choice," comments RSA Chief Executive, Noel Brett. "You become a potential killer in a crash. You will be thrown around inside the car, possibly seriously injuring or killing other occupants." Recent studies by the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) in the UK show that two out of three people will survive or have less serious injuries by wearing their seatbelt.
Deterrents of a €60 fine and two penalty points are also in place to encourage seatbelt usage; however the Gardaí issued almost 16,000 notices for offences in 2011, with similar figures being recorded so far in 2012.
The statistics were released just days before the August Bank Holiday weekend, when seven new penalty point offences come into force, including those for correct seat belt and child seat usage.