Record 89% wearing seatbelts in cars

MORE motorists are wearing seatbelts than ever before, but there has been a sharp fall in the number of rear seat passengers who use the life-saving equipment.

The annual seatbelt survey by the Road Safety Authority shows that a record 89% of all car occupants wore seat belts last year — up 2% on 2007 figures.

However, the rear-seatbelt wearing rates fell by 6% in 2008 to 78%.