In-Car Safety

70% of all casualties in County Durham in 2004 were car drivers and their passengers. Many of these people may have been killed or injured in their cars, because they did not have the protection of a seat belt. Seat belt wearing is very important for our safety. If your car hits a solid object, such as a tree or wall, it will decelerate very quickly. However, you or your passengers will continue forward at the same speed the car was travelling before the impact. This simply means that if your car hits a tree at 30mph, you will be thrown out of your seat at 30mph. Only the seat belt will prevent you from being thrown against the dashboard or windscreen, or being ejected from the vehicle. Even at 30mph, an unrestrained car occupant can receive such severe injuries that they die.

Never rely on an airbag alone. Airbags are designed to work with a seatbelt. An unrestrained driver or passenger can be severely injured or killed by an exploding airbag. The airbag alone will not prevent a car occupant being thrown out of a vehicle.

In law:

• You must wear a seat belt if one is fitted. There are few exceptions to this and the driver is liable to prosecution if a child under 14 years does not wear a seat belt. Seat belts - a summary of the law.
• You must not carry an unrestrained child in the front seat of any vehicle. Affected vehicles.
• Children under three years of age travelling in the front of any vehicle must be carried in an appropriate child restraint. The adult belt may be used, if appropriate. Seat belt use.
• If an appropriate child restraint is fitted in the front, but not in the rear, children under three must use that restraint.
• If an appropriate child restraint or seat belt is available in the front, but not in the rear, children between 3 and 11 and under 1.5m in height must use the front seat restraint or seat belt.