AMTA  E-News

March 2010

Did Your Drivers Buckle Up?
Alberta Holds Seatbelt Blitz

On March 24 and 25, law enforcement agencies throughout the province conducted vehicle checks and issued tickets for seatbelt and child safety seat infractions to remind drivers that seatbelts can save lives. The enforcement blitz was held to support the March Alberta Occupant Restraint Program education campaign, which highlights the often serious consequences of not wearing a seatbelt.

The campaign coincided with the release of the results of a provincial seatbelt survey conducted in the fall of 2009. The results show combined urban and rural seatbelt wearing rates increased four per cent – from 88.9 per cent in 2007 to 92.9 per cent in 2009. Rural Alberta rates increased from 86.4 per cent in 2006 to 90.4 per cent in 2009. Urban areas also saw an increase from 89.3 per cent in 2007 to 93.3 per cent in 2009. These positive results suggest that the province’s coordinated strategy of education and enforcement is having a positive impact on drivers, but there is still room for improvement.

According to Transport Canada, almost 40 per cent of drivers and passengers killed in collisions were not wearing their seatbelt at the time of the crash. Those occupants who aren’t killed in collisions often receive serious injuries as a consequence of not buckling up. Many of these drivers and passengers could have survived or even walked away unharmed if they had been wearing their seatbelts.

Motor vehicle collisions are the leading cause of death of young people in this province, and unbelted occupants are three-and-a-half times more likely to be injured than those who buckle up. The fine for not wearing a seatbelt is $115 and applies to both drivers and passengers.

For more information on Alberta’s occupant restraint education and
awareness campaign, visit the Alberta Occupant Restraint Program website at
www.albertaseatbelts.ca