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Road Safety.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 February 2005

Tuesday, 8 February 2005

Questions (317)

Cecilia Keaveney

Question:

369 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Transport if there has been an improvement in the level of seat belt usage from the figures given for the period 1996 to 2000 which revealed that 77% of child fatalities were found not to be wearing a seat belt; and his views on the fact that 79% of child rear seat passengers were not strapped in. [3828/05]

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Written answers

Official statistics relating to seat belt wearing, including occupants of cars involved in fatal and injury accidents, are published by the National Road Authority. The NRA accident data in regard to occupants of cars involved in fatal and injury accidents by seat belt usage relates to drivers and front seat passengers only. The data in respect of child passengers is not separately identified.

The most recent report for seat belt usage relates to surveys carried out in 2003 by the NRA. The report shows that the overall usage rate, driver and front passenger, was 85% in 2003, which compares to 72% in 2002 and 52% in 1991. The 2003 surveys were the first time that the wearing of seat belts by children was specifically measured. The report also covers the seat belt wearing habits of schoolgoers. It found that front seat belt usage rates averaged 68% for primary-going school children and 62% for secondary school goers. The figures for rear seat belt usage by primary and secondary school goers was 48% and 44% respectively. This 2003 data will provide a useful baseline to measure the effectiveness of a number of initiatives designed to increase seat belt usage.

Seat belt usage has been identified as a key item in the road safety strategy for 2004 to 2006 with target levels of 90% for front seat belt wearing and 60% for rear seat belts to be achieved by 2006. The recently published National Safety Council guide on child safety in cars, which provides vital information to parents and all those charged with the responsibility of transporting children on all aspects of safety systems for children, should make a useful contribution in bringing about higher levels of usage of child safety restraint systems.

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