Minister delivers a bright idea for seatbelts

Published on Friday 21 March 2008 09:29

A MINISTER has suggested that glow in the dark seatbelts could be used to help reduce road deaths.

Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson made the suggestion during a meeting of road safety experts in Edinburgh.

Mr Stevenson set up the road safety group last year with the aim of producing a ten-year strategy to cut Scotland's road deaths toll.

The expert panel includes representatives of the police and motoring groups, and aims to publish its strategy in the summer. The Banff and Buchan MSP said he was considering encouraging car manufacturers to fit vehicles with fluorescent seatbelts, making it easier for police to spot whether drivers were properly secured.

Neil Greig, director of the Institute of Advanced Motorists, said the idea was "interesting" but argued there were better ways of encouraging people to belt up.

He said: "The kind of people who don't wear seatbelts are van drivers, young drivers, taxi drivers, and for them it doesn't matter what kind of seatbelt is fitted. Fear of being caught is still the best deterrent."