- One in five people who die on WA roads are not wearing a seatbelt
- First responders plea for people to ‘just click’
- New safety cameras that detect seatbelt compliance are coming
The Cook Government has launched a new campaign through the Road Safety Commission to raise awareness of the importance of wearing seatbelts.
Over the past five years, 20 per cent of people who died in a crash on Western Australian roads were not wearing seatbelts.
The campaign provides a candid insight into the true impact of not wearing seatbelts from the point of view of those first on the scene in a crash.
The campaign profiles first responders from the WA Police, St John WA and the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES).
Carla, a DFES first responder, is featured saying “I see things no one should have to see”.
Research is clear – if you are not wearing a seatbelt and are involved in a crash you are almost five times more likely to die.
It’s simple physics if you are driving along the road at 100 kilometres per hour and hit a tree, anything unrestrained – including you – keeps travelling at 100 kilometres per hour until it hits something and the results are catastrophic.
This campaign comes as the Road Safety Commission prepares to introduce safety cameras with the capability to detect and fine drivers and front seat passengers not wearing a seatbelt.
While most people do the safe thing and wear a seatbelt, a trial of the safety cameras on WA roads in 2022/23 detected 11,400 cases of a failure to do so.
As stated by Road Safety Minister David Michael:
“It continues to shock me that people are still not putting on their seatbelt – it should be automatic.
“Last year 23 people died on our roads not wearing a seatbelt. Many of those people are likely to be alive today if they had only taken the time to ‘just click’ on that belt.
“It is particularly concerning that 18 of the 23 who died not wearing a seatbelt were in the regions.
“I also want to acknowledge our first responders. They do a job for the community that has to be done, but as Carla, Emma and Clinton say: no one should have to see the things they see.
“I look forward to the implementation of the new safety cameras because we know that deterrence works. If people think they might be caught doing the wrong thing they change their behaviour and that will save lives.
“There is no one size fits all approach when it comes to changing road safety attitudes and behaviour, which is why I am pleased to deliver both education and enforcement initiatives to encourage more people to ‘just click’.”
