Press Release
Seatbelt Campaign Week 9th –15th August
Last year the Scottish Government released Scotland’s Road Safety Framework to 2020. One of the priorities within this document is for road safety units to promote usage of seatbelts. This year the Scottish Government, Road Safety Scotland and ACPOS (Association of Chief Police Officers Scotland) decided to have a National Campaign, 2010 Year of the Seatbelt, to encourage greater and more frequent compliance amongst vehicle occupants in Scotland.
To participate in this current National Seatbelt Campaign, Shetland Islands Council opted for a weeklong promotion in Shetland. As part of this initiative, the Road Safety unit have been promoting seatbelt use to all SIC staff. This promotion includes posters in all the Council offices, decals on Council vehicles, distribution of seatbelt pads and rear windscreen stickers.
The decals and windscreen stickers show the Year of the seatbelt logo, which is a seatbelt with the words “Have you Clicked?” These stickers and seatbelt pads are free to the public and if you would like one, just contact the road safety unit at the SIC (details below).
Councillor Allan Wishart, Chair of the Road Safety Advisory Panel said “The Shetland Islands Council have taken part in the National Campaign, “2010 Year of the Seatbelt” by initiating this Shetland Seatbelt Week. The trends in seatbelt offences were dropping between 2005 and 2007 but had risen again in 2008. We need to be vigilant and remember to put on our seatbelts on every trip we make. Children imitate what they see their parents doing and for their benefit we must set them a good example and teach them their seatbelt could save their life should they ever be in an accident.”
Some facts on seatbelts*:
- Seatbelt usage reduces the risk of fatal injury by about 50% and they are described as “the single most effective feature in the car to fulfil this role”.
- All other safety features in cars, such as airbags, are only designed to work when the occupant is wearing a seatbelt.
- Every road fatality is estimated to cost the Scottish economy £1.94m.
Contact the Road Safety Officer at:
Road Safety Unit, Safety & Risk, 4 Market Street, Lerwick.
Tel: 01595 744560
Email: road.safety@shetland.gov.uk
* Facts from Road Safety Scotland Partnership Toolkit.