{"id":13051,"date":"2023-09-01T11:07:38","date_gmt":"2023-09-01T11:07:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/diamondlaw.ca\/?p=13051"},"modified":"2023-09-05T11:55:26","modified_gmt":"2023-09-05T11:55:26","slug":"buckling-up-for-life-the-importance-of-seat-belt-wear-for-maximum-safety","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/diamondlaw.ca\/buckling-up-for-life-the-importance-of-seat-belt-wear-for-maximum-safety\/","title":{"rendered":"Buckling Up for Life: The Importance of Seat Belt Wear for Maximum Safety"},"content":{"rendered":"

To ensure maximum safety, there\u2019s been a push for wearing seat belts, as studies have consistently shown that they save lives. As of 2021, reports show that <\/span>28.6 percent of driver and 35.6 percent of passenger fatalities<\/span><\/a> have happened because of not wearing seat belts.<\/span><\/p>\n

All Canadian seat belt laws are primary enforcement laws, which means that not wearing a seat belt is enough for the police to pull you over and issue a citation. The typical penalty for not wearing a seat belt is a fine, demerit points, or both. Ontario’s fine is between $200 to $1,000 and two demerits.<\/span><\/p>\n

Before seat belt laws came into effect, most people in Canada didn\u2019t wear them. For example, <\/span>only 28 percent of Albertans wore seat belts in 1987<\/span><\/a>, when seat belts became mandatory. The latest information indicates that <\/span>90 percent or more people use seat belts across Canada<\/span><\/a>, including Alberta (92 percent). The highest percentage was in British Columbia (96.9%), while the lowest was in Yukon (78.1 percent).<\/span><\/p>\n

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Key Takeaways<\/b><\/p>\n

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  • All Canadian provinces and territories require drivers and passengers to wear seat belts.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Seat belts are more effective than other road safety devices in reducing deaths and injuries in car accidents.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Not wearing a seat belt means that there\u2019s a higher chance of death and injury and a lower personal injury settlement.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Even if you weren\u2019t wearing a seat belt, if you were injured because of a negligent driver, you can still pursue a personal injury lawsuit in Canada.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

    Seat Belt Safety Statistics<\/b><\/h2>\n

    A<\/span> <\/span>comparison of vehicle safety technologies from 1960 to 2012<\/span><\/a> showed that newer measures also help keep people safe. However, seat belts continue to save more lives than all other safety measures combined. The<\/span> <\/span>standard three-point seatbelt<\/span><\/a> we take for granted today is a result of these studies. Data from The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) provides more or less the same information.<\/span><\/p>\n

    The following statistics show just how important seat belts are in Canada:<\/span><\/p>\n

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    • Accidents were the leading cause of death<\/span><\/a> in Canada for ages 15 to 24 in 2020.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Front-seat passengers using seat belts<\/span> <\/span>reduce the risk of a fatal injury<\/span><\/a> by 47 percent and moderate to critical injury by 52 percent.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • British Columbia has the highest rate of seatbelt use (96.9 percent), followed by Saskatchewan (96.8 percent), Ontario (96 percent), and Quebec (96 percent).<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Ontario had the lowest fatality rate per 100,000 population (3.8) in 2021, Prince Edward Island had the highest (10.5).<\/span><\/li>\n
    • More people died in motor vehicle accidents in<\/span> <\/span>rural (54 percent) than in urban (44.67 percent)<\/span><\/a> areas. On the other hand, more people sustained personal injuries in urban areas (72.5 percent) than in rural areas (25.1 percent).<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Fewer pickup and light truck drivers and passengers (92 percent) use seat belts than those in minivans, cars, and SUVs (95.3 percent national average).<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Significantly fewer back-seat passengers (89.2 percent) buckle up than those in front (95.5 percent).<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Female drivers wear seat belts (96 percent)\u00a0 men (94.3 percent).<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Travel restrictions during the pandemic resulted in an<\/span> <\/span>increase in unrestrained fatalities (from 41 to 70 percent) in speed-related accidents<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      These statistics prove how important seat belts are for ensuring maximum safety. A substantial number of people would be alive today if they had been wearing seat belts at the time of their car accident.<\/span><\/p>\n

      Why should you use seat belts?<\/b><\/h2>\n

      Most Canadians accept that they should wear seat belts because it\u2019s an offence not to. However, they might not know why we have seat belt laws.<\/span><\/p>\n

      Numerous global and Canadian studies have consistently found that seat belts can save lives. According to Transport Canada,<\/span> <\/span>seat belts save approximately 1,000 lives annually in Canada<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      While seat belt use is widespread, about 3 to 21 percent of individuals don’t wear them, depending on the province. About 40 percent of those who died in passenger<\/span> <\/span>car accidents<\/span><\/a> weren\u2019t wearing seatbelts.<\/span><\/p>\n

      Canadian law enforcement considers failing to wear a seat belt as one of the leading causes of death on the road. About a third<\/span> <\/span>(29.4 percent) of driver fatalities and 10.8 percent of serious injuries<\/span><\/a> were due to not buckling up in 2018. Unbuckled car occupants are more likely to die (32.1 percent) or get seriously hurt (18.4 percent). Other contributing factors include impaired driving, distracted driving, and aggressive driving.<\/span><\/p>\n

      Seat belts have the following benefits:<\/span><\/p>\n

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      • They keep you from being expelled in motor vehicle crashes.<\/span><\/li>\n
      • They shield you from the significant force when an airbag deploys, which can cause severe injuries if you\u2019re not restrained by a seat belt.<\/span><\/li>\n
      • They keep passengers safe in a potentially fatal crash.<\/span><\/li>\n
      • They help to prevent<\/span> <\/span>increases in car insurance premiums<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Instead of using public transportation, most Canadians drive to work. About<\/span> <\/span>73.8 percent of Ontarians took a car<\/span><\/a>, van, or truck to work in 2022. Therefore, wearing a seat belt to ensure maximum safety is very important.<\/span><\/p>\n