HC Deb 16 December 1980 vol 996 cc122-3W
Mr. Tom Benyon

asked the Minister of Transport what the estimated savings would be in numbers of (a) lives and (b) injuries if seat belts became mandatory.

Mr. Fowler

The savings which might be achieved by compulsion depend on the difference between the present seat belt wearing rate and the wearing rate actually. achieved under compulsion which could, of course, vary widely, as the experience in other counties indicates.

An illustration of the potential savings from higher wearing rates is as follows:

Potential Savings
All hours seat belt wearing rate Killed Seriously injured
100 per cent. 1,000 10,000
75 per cent. 650 6,500
50 per cent. 300 3,000