In the first six months of 2012, some 23 percent of drivers killed and 29 percent of passengers killed were not wearing seat belts at the time of the collision, according to new figures released by the Road Safety Authority (RSA).
The RSA say a worrying feature is the number of people who were not wearing a seat belt and who were ejected from the vehicle. Some of these deaths may well have been prevented if the driver or passenger had been wearing their seat belt as it significantly increases your chance of survival and can also reduce the severity of your injuries if involved in a collision.
"If you don't wear a seat belt, you become a potential killer in a crash. You'll be thrown around the inside of a car, possibly seriously injuring, or killing, other occupants in the car."
By not wearing a seatbelt you are not just risking your life and that of others, you are breaking the law. If you don't, you risk a fine of €80 and two penalty points, which remain on your licence for three years. Passengers over 17 can be fined €80 for not wearing a seat belt.
The RSA say that males account for four out of five road deaths where no seat belt is being used and that young men are four and a half times more likely not to be wearing a seatbelt in a fatal collision. In 2010, some 16 percent of drivers and 41 percent of passengers killed were not wearing seat belts.
