A graphic photo of a man with bleeding head wounds is part of the Alberta government’s campaign to increase seatbelt use.
Alberta Transportation staff plan to focus this month on seatbelt use by both adults and children.
In a March 3 news release, the transportation department said there were 358 “unbelted deaths” in traffic accidents between 2010 and 2014. Almost 30 percent involved 18- to 24-year-old men.
Officials estimated that seatbelts can improve survival in collisions by 45 to 65 percent, depending on the type of vehicle and where people are sitting within it.
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“Drivers in Alberta are responsible for ensuring that all passengers under the age of 16 are properly secured using either a child safety seat or seatbelt,” said the release.
Fines of $155 can be applied for every passenger who is not buckled up. The driver can be ticketed for the failure of passengers to wear seatbelts. However, if the passenger refuses to buckle up, that passenger can be ticketed instead.
“Unrestrained passengers are 3.5 times more likely to be injured or killed in a collision than persons wearing seatbelts,” said Alberta Transportation data.
“Unrestrained passengers also are more likely to strike restrained passengers, causing severe injury to the restrained occupant.”
Alberta data from 2011, the most recent figures available, show rural residents are slightly less likely to wear seatbelts. About 92 percent of rural vehicle occupants wear seatbelts regularly, compared to 95.6 percent of urban dwellers.
More information about seatbelts, safety and child booster seats can be found at albertaseatbelts.ca.
Contact barb.glen@producer.com
