Over two million drivers still don’t always belt up

Over 2 million drivers are still not always wearing a seatbelt 25 years after it becoming law, according to research by LV=. This is despite the fine for not wearing a seatbelt being as much as £500.

In the UK there are 37,000 fatal or serious injuries every year on the roads, many of which could be prevented by wearing a seatbelt.

Aside from the cost of fines and safety implications, any insurance claim made by a driver who has been injured whilst not wearing their seatbelt is likely to be reduced even if they are not at fault in the accident.

The problem of not wearing a seatbelt is even worse when it comes to passengers. Nearly four in ten (38%) said they don’t always bother to belt up in the back, despite it also being compulsory for the last 17 years.

Of these, the worst culprits are the 35 – 44 year olds, who are twice as likely to forget or not really think about belting up in the back as 18 - 24 year olds (52% to 26%).

Martin Milliner, Head of Technical Claims at LV=, said: “It’s particularly worrying that people in their thirties and forties are apathetic to using a seatbelt, especially as they are more likely to be travelling with their children than younger drivers, sending out the wrong message. We would really urge drivers and passengers to think again about their safety and ensure that everyone in the car is buckled up on every journey – in some cases it could be the biggest favour they ever do for friends or family.“

People cite a variety of reasons for their reticence to wear seat belts - 43% claim they just ‘do not think about it’ or simply forget.

The top reasons motorists gave as an excuse for not wearing a seatbelt were:

Forgot (22%)
Didn’t think about it (21%)
Was going on a short journey (16%)
It’s too fiddly (14%)
It’s uncomfortable (11%)
It’s not law so I don’t bother (3%)
It crumples my clothes (1%)
I don’t think it will make a difference in an accident (1%)

Men are the least safety conscious with 38% of backseat male passengers admitting they don’t always wear a seatbelt.

As with drivers, passengers who are injured in a car accident whilst not wearing a seatbelt could find any compensation is reduced, even if the driver of the vehicle they are in is not at fault and the other road user is responsible.

The research found that motorists are very confused about who is responsible for ensuring that passengers are belted up – both in the back and the front. Nearly two thirds (65%) of British adults wrongly believe that it is the driver’s responsibility to ensure that a front seat passenger has belted up, when in actual fact the responsibility is their own regardless of where they are sitting in the vehicle.

Financial penalties for not wearing a seatbelt can be severe. Fines can be as much as £500 and involve a court appearance. Despite the public’s relaxed attitude to wearing a seatbelt the Police take the matter very seriously. In 2004, Police issued more than 210,000 fixed penalties, written cautions and prosecutions.

Even though the law states it is the responsibility of the passenger, LV= is urging drivers to remind anyone travelling in their car to belt up to reduce injuries and deaths on UK roads. Nearly half of all drivers in the 25 – 34 year old age group (48%) said they don’t always check if their passengers are wearing a seatbelt in the back, potentially putting both themselves and other passengers at risk.

Martin Milliner, Head of Claims at LV= comments; “Whilst it is the passengers’ own responsibility to make sure they are properly buckled up, drivers should also ensure that this is happening, as much for their own safety as the passengers. Many passengers said they forgot to belt up when in the back of a car so a timely reminder from the driver before setting off could save the lives of family and friends travelling in their vehicle.

“It has been 17 years since rear seat belts became compulsory and our research suggests that the message is still not getting through and confusion remains regarding the law and the consequences. Over 2.7 million adults never wear a seat belt when travelling as a passenger in the car and over 3.5 million don’t believe there is a fine for being caught without one.”