§ Mr. Buchanan-Smithasked the Secretary of State for Transport what evidence is available to his Department of the relative merits of lap seat belts and of lapand-shoulder seat belts in the prevention of personal injury in respect of drivers and front seat passengers of vehicles; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. William RodgersLap belts have never been in general use in front seats of vehicles in the United Kingdom so there has not been the opportunity to compare their merits with those of lap-and-diagonal belts. However, investigations in the United States of America clearly bring out the advantages of the 527W latter in reducing head and chest injuries, as described in the 1976 report of the US Department of Transportation, (ref. No. HS-801–973).