25% of road fatalities in Ireland last year were not wearing seatbelts – RSA

The RSA is urging drivers and passengers to always wear a seatbelt in light of the recent study on road fatalities. Picture: Denis Minihane

A quarter of the drivers and passengers who died on Irish roads in 2020 were not wearing seatbelts, according to provisional Garda statistics from the Road Safety Authority (RSA). 

The RSA is urging drivers and passengers to always wear a seatbelt in light of the recent study on road fatalities. 

"While it won’t prevent a crash, wearing a seat belt can reduce the severity of injuries if you are involved in a crash," said Sam Waide, chief executive of the RSA. 

In fact, wearing one reduces the risk of death among drivers and front seat passengers by half, and the risk of death and serious injuries among rear seat occupants by a quarter.”

A 2019 Behaviour and Attitudes Survey conducted for the RSA showed the majority of people under 35 would put on a seat belt if asked to do so.

"For most people, putting on their seat belt has become second nature, but as we can see from our analysis of the casualty statistics from 2020, there is still a percentage who don’t," said Mr Waide. 

"As the RSA’s current seatbelt campaign puts it, nobody ever died asking a mate to wear a seatbelt, ‘Every Time. Every Trip. Everybody. Belt Up'," he added.  

The RSA's most recent observational study found that, overall, seatbelt wearing rates were high at 94% for drivers and front seat passengers, but only 89% for rear seat passengers. 

“Seat belts save lives. Too often, our gardaí arrive at scenes of traffic collisions and witness first-hand the devastating injuries sustained by drivers and passengers because they were not wearing a seatbelt," said Paula Hilman, Assistant Garda Commissioner for Roads Policing and Community Engagement. 

All drivers and adult passengers in a vehicle are required by law to wear a seat belt. Drivers are responsible for ensuring any passengers under 17 years of age are appropriately restrained. 

"As a driver, if you do not use a seatbelt, you risk a fine and three penalty points, which remain on your licence for three years. Passengers over 17 can be fined €60 for not wearing a seatbelt,” she added. 

Gardaí said despite traffic volumes falling due to Covid-19 restrictions, 8,770 Fixed Charge Notices were issued for seat belt offences between November 2019 and November 2020.