Many not using seat belts

Press, 12 June 1986, Page 32

Many not using seat belts

PA Wellington Many people were still not wearing seat belts in cars in spite of recent intense publicity and enforcement, the Undersecretary for Transport, Mr Jeffries, has said. Preliminary Ministry of Transport figures showed that more than 2500 people had been issued with traffic infringement notices for failure to wear seat belts or child restraints during the first two weeks of the campaign. Another 3800 had been given a written or verbal warning.

“Seat belts undoubtedly save lives but it seems that there are still people

willing to risk being seen dead without one,” Mr Jeffries said. Over the last two weeks traffic officers had been keeping a special watch for unrestrained drivers and passengers. The campaign will continue for another two weeks.

“The biggest tragedy of all is the number of children who are still travelling unrestrained in cars,” Mr Jeffries said. One traffic officer had reported a case of a family of two adults and three children travelling together in the front seat, while the back seat of their car was empty.