Belt-wearing laws proven

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33815, 11 April 1975, Page 4

Belt-wearing laws proven

Compulsory seat-belt wearing in New Zealand has produced results that vindicate even the most optimistic forecasts of the advocates of compulsion, according to the Ministry of Transport. A survey by the Ministry has shown that since the law was introduced, the rate of death and injury among drivers and frontseat passengers has dropped dramatically. Since front-seat belt wearing became compulsory, deaths and injuries among back-seat passengers, who are usually, better protected than frontseat occupants and who are involved in far fewer accidents anyway, have risen 23 per cent.

In the same time, the death and injury rate among front-seat occupants has increased only 3 per cent. Statistically, had belts not been required, the death and injury rate for those in the front seats could have been expected to rise at much the same rate as that for back-seat occupants. According to the Ministry, the figures make an unanswerable case in favour of the compulsory wearing of belts. In spite of this, the Ministry says, there are still some drivers and passengers who refuse to wear their seat belts. In Christchurch, as in other parts of New Zealand, traffic officers are watching for drivers and passengers who are not complying with the seat-belt regulations, and are issuing offence notices.