The Road Safety Authority and An Garda Síochána are appealing to women to ensure they are wearing their seat belts correctly when driving or as a passenger in a vehicle.
Research among women aged 17 to 34, carried out online by independent research company Behaviour & Attitudes for the RSA in February, found 26 per cent of women admitted to previously having worn the shoulder strap of their seat belt under their arm rather than on their shoulder.
Eleven per cent of those surveyed who wear their seat belt under arm do so always or often. Thirty-two per cent indicated their female friends wore their seat belt under their arm at least sometimes.
However, placing the shoulder strap of the seat belt under an arm leaves the upper torso – including neck, face and head – completely unrestrained during a collision. In such a situation a person would be exposed to horrific injury.
The research showed the main reasons for putting the seat belt under the arm were to relieve neck irritation.
However, wearing a seat belt incorrectly will provide little or no protection in the event of a crash. Whether for comfort or vanity, nothing is worth putting a life at risk of serious or fatal injury. The message to everyone is to always wear a seat belt and wear it correctly.
The belt should be worn diagonally across the wearer’s chest on the shoulder and never under the arm. If it feels uncomfortable, adjust the height of the belt on the anchor point on the door frame or adjust the seat position and height.
The survey found that almost one in four were surprised that how a seat belt is worn is as important as to whether it seat belt is worn or not. More than one in five were surprised that vehicle occupants risk serious injury by putting their seat belt under their arm. Some 41 per cent of respondents said they were surprised to learn that one in four car occupants killed on Irish roads in the past year were not wearing seat belts.
The RSA is running its online campaign “This Season’s Killer Look” in a bid to reach young women. It will be fronted by a 30 second public service message that will be deployed on ‘Video On Demand’ (VOD ) platforms. The ad is centred on a young model, posing for a fashion shoot in a glamorous car. As the shoot progresses, the model puts on her seat belt and places the belt under her arm. Suddenly, the model is thrown violently forward and the scene switches to an eerie x-ray world where viewers see clearly the devastating injuries sustained in a collision. When switched back to reality, the model is wearing a neck and body brace and has scaring on her face. Lifelong injuries now replace her glamorous look.
The campaign slogan invites viewers not to get ‘This Season’s Killer Look’ by never wearing a seat belt under the arm.
The RSA sought the input of Gerry Lane, consultant in emergency medicine at Letterkenny General Hospital, Donegal in developing the campaign.
Ireland’s fifth government Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030 aims to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on Irish roads by 50 per cent over the next decade. This means reducing deaths on Ireland’s roads annually from 144 to 72 or lower, and reducing serious injuries from 1,259 to 630 or lower by 2030.
