How's this for a bright idea to cut road deaths: make seat belts fluorescent

Published on Sunday 5 April 2009 22:18

JIMMY Savile tried with his "clunk-click" campaign, but even a change in the law could not convince motorists to belt up every time.

Now cars may be fitted with fluorescent seat belts to cut the number of deaths on Scotland's roads, The Scotsman can reveal.

Ministers believe the high proportion of fatal crashes in which victims were not wearing seat belts could be tackled by using bright colours to make their use easier to enforce.

The proposal is expected to be included in the Scottish Government's new road safety strategy, which is due to be published within weeks.

But the idea has had a mixed reaction from motoring groups.

Stewart Stevenson, the transport minister, has already said that one in six road deaths could have been averted if seat belts had been worn.

Studies have shown one-third of drivers killed were not wearing seat belts, and at least half of them would have survived if they had been.

Young men, rear-seat passengers and van and lorry drivers are among those least likely to belt up. Late-night and early-morning trips have also been associated with low seat belt use.

The issue was highlighted last year in a harrowing TV advert that showed an unrestrained driver's lungs being punctured in a car crash. It was judged so graphic it was shown only after the 9pm watershed.

The Royal Automobile Club Foundation said fluorescent belts could be tested on those with the poorest compliance rates, but it warned against seat belt use being stigmatised.

Philip Gomm, its spokesman, said: "It should be trialled amongst those drivers who are historically the worst offenders, van drivers, 40 per cent of whom fail to belt up.

"However, the government must be careful not to create a situation where wearing seat belts appears 'uncool'.

"Perhaps all cars should also be fitted with loud, persistent, alarm systems which won't turn off until people secure their belts."

Other motoring groups were unconvinced by the fluorescent belts proposal. Neil Greig, director of policy and research for the Institute of Advanced Motorists' Motoring Trust, said: "It's a bit of a non-starter. There is no way to make them a legal requirement and, in any case, there are not enough police out on patrol to enforce it.

"We believe the hard core who don't wear belts do it because they don't think they will be caught. However, more traffic police and the encouragement and enforcement of fleet drivers, such as 'white-van man', would help."

Bruce Young, the Lothian and Borders co-ordinator of the Association of British Drivers, said: "It smacks of a free-of-cost, knee-jerk, nanny-state substitute for actually doing something to improve road safety – and making it easier for the police to make a prosecution if they chance on an unbelted driver. But it won't get off the ground."

Chief Superintendent Brian Anderson, of Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary, the man in charge of road-casualty reduction for the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, declined to comment on the idea. But he said: "Injuries caused to drivers and passengers not restrained by seat belts can be horrific or even fatal. That should be in the front of everyone's mind when travelling in any vehicle where seat belts are fitted."

The Scottish Government would not confirm whether the proposal would be part of the new strategy. A spokesman said: "The transport minister has brought together an expert group on road safety to help advise on additional measures that could be taken to save lives, and we aim to publish this shortly."