Minister welcomes AXA support for seatbelt campaign
Thursday, 26 August 2010Environment Minister Edwin Poots today urged all road users to wear a seatbelt for every journey, no matter how short.
Mr Poots was speaking after he announced the continuation of his department’s road safety seatbelt campaign with sponsorship from leading local insurer, AXA Insurance.
Over the last decade there has been a major drive to improve seatbelt wearing rates, particularly amongst children and young adults. The seatbelt advertising campaigns and the introduction of tougher new penalties for not wearing seatbelts have played vital roles in bringing about huge improvements.
The Minister said: “The AXA-sponsored seatbelt campaigns have had a significant influence on seatbelt wearing rates and saving lives.
“Prior to the campaigns starting in 2001 Northern Ireland had the worst seatbelt wearing rate in the UK. Now it is the highest – with all-time highs for drivers at 98%, front seats at 97%, and overall wearing at 97%.
“It is estimated that approximately eight lives would be saved each year, 73 serious injuries and 269 slight injuries prevented if a 100% wearing rate was achieved.”
According to the World Health Organisation increasing seatbelt wearing is one of the fastest ways of reducing death and serious injury on the roads.
The urgent challenge in Northern Ireland is to improve backseat wearing where parents and drivers in charge of children and young people are breaking the law and putting lives at risk by not enforcing the wearing of seatbelts. The wearing rates of 5-9 year olds at 91% and of 10-13 year olds at 92% are most worrying and a reflection on the irresponsibility of a small minority of drivers, including parents, who are breaking the law and putting lives of children at risk.
The Minister continued: “I would especially urge parents to take responsibility for ensuring their children are safely secured while travelling – no matter how short the journey. This simple action will massively increase a child’s chance of survival in a collision. There is absolutely no excuse for not doing so. My message today and every day is clear - NO SEATBELT, NO EXCUSE.”
Marketing Manager for AXA Insurance, Kieran McCullagh said: “There is no room for complacency on the issue of seatbelt usage. Drivers have a legal and a moral obligation to ensure their passengers are protected by a seatbelt. AXA Insurance is delighted to support the DOE through sponsorship of the latest campaign and we are confident that this campaign will help to save lives and prevent serious injuries to our customers and drivers at large in Northern Ireland.”
Notes to editors:
1. The current mix of seatbelt advertisements will air on TV, radio and online during August and into September.
2. The Longer Term Effects of Seatbelts’ Advertising won the David Ogilvy Gold Award in New York in 2009 for the DOE/RSA cross-border campaign, sponsored by AXA, from the Advertising Research Foundation. The case study proved that 1,132 people are alive today due to the campaigns who would otherwise have been killed or seriously injured through non-wearing of seatbelts. The economic payback delivered to the taxpayer by the campaigns was proven to be £15.75 for every £1 invested in advertising.
3. The Seatbelts’ campaigns have consistently outperformed industry norms for awareness and influence, achieving scores of 96% for influence among 16-34s and 94% for influence amongst All Adults (Source: Millward Brown Tracking Surveys).
4. PSNI data reveals that in 2009, there were 69 fatalities who were occupants of cars, cars used as taxis and light goods vehicles (these are vehicles in which seat belts are normally worn). Of the 69 fatalities, 20 (29%) were not wearing a seat belt.
5. Before the AXA sponsorship of DOE’s Seatbelts’ campaigns started in 2001, the back seat wearing rate was 65% - now it is 92%; the overall wearing rate was 84% - now it is 97%; the driver wearing rate was 86% - now it is 98%.
6. Percentage of car occupants wearing seat belts is as follows:
· 2010 – Overall Wearing Rate 97%, Driver 98%, Front seat 97%, Back seat 92% of which under one year 98%, 1-4 years 96%, 5-9 years 91%, 10-13 years 92%.
7. New seat belt offences and penalties came into force on 27 June 2007. An information leaflet giving details of these measures is available on the DOE website
8. The laws and maximum fines include:
· Failing to use seatbelts: three penalty points for driving without a seat belt or for drivers carrying a child unbelted. Fine on conviction for carrying child unbelted in the back is a maximum £500.
· Children under three years MUST use an appropriate child restraint in any vehicle - the only exception being when travelling in the rear seat of a licensed taxi.
· In vehicles where seat belts are fitted, children from three years and up to 135cms in height or 12 years of age, MUST use the appropriate child restraint. The only exceptions are in respect of taxis, unexpected short journeys and where two fitted child restraints prevent the fitting of a third.
9. All media enquiries should be directed to the DOE Press Office on 028 9054 0003. Out of office hours please contact the duty press officer via pager number 07699715 440 and your call will be returned.
Connect with US
