12 January 2009 South African drivers do not seem to realise just how important their role is in ensuring the safety of their passengers. Recent surveys done by the AA (The Automobile Association of South Africa) in conjunction with CARS and the Renault sponsored Saved by the Belt initiative show that seatbelt wearing rates are deplorable.

However, with the assistance of drivers, the rate could be dramatically increased with a resultant saving of many hundreds of lives every year – not only those of the drivers themselves.

“A driver has both the moral responsibility and the legal obligation to ensure the safety of all passengers in a vehicle. Few drivers are aware that from September 2003 a driver can be prosecuted for PASSENGERS not wearing seatbelts – where fitted in a vehicle. It is alarming to note that ongoing research being done into seatbelt wearing by the AA and Bridgestone / CARS, shows a national wearing rate of 56 percent for drivers while only 30 percent of front passengers and 8 to 10 percent of rear passengers wear seatbelts.”

“These figures clearly show that even drivers that do wear their belts are not fully aware of their responsibilities towards all passengers in the vehicle.

Wearing the simplest and easiest of safety devices should become an automatic action for both drivers and passengers. However, the onus is always on the driver to ensure that passengers comply and it is essential that all drivers realise this responsibility.

“Traffic officials would do well to explain this responsibility very clearly to drivers who are remiss,” says a spokesman.