HC Deb 06 June 1978 vol 951 cc74-5W
Mr. Cronin

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what his estimate is of the present percentage of occupants of front seats of cars who normally wear seat belts when the car is in motion.

Mr. Horam

Daylight wearing rates are about 30 per cent. I regret that no estimates are available for night time wearing rates.

Mr. Cronin

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the percentage reduction of fatal and serious injuries which would be brought about if the wearing of seat belts by front seat occupants of motor vehicles were increased to 85 per cent. and 100 per cent., respectively.

Mr. Horam

It is estimated that the reduction among front seat occupants of cars and light vans would be about 30 per cent. with 85 per cent. wearing and almost 40 per cent. with 100 per cent. wearing.

Mr. Cronin

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will publish figures based on the Transport and Road Research Laboratory's recent study indicating the proportion of people killed who are thrown out of a vehicle as the result of a road accident;

(2) if he will publish figures based on the Transport and Road Research Laboratory's recent study indicating the frequency of life-threatening injuries in accident victims who were wearing or not wearing seat belts.

Mr. Horam

The study was based on 1,126 injury accidents of widely-ranging severity. Thirty-seven car occupants died in the accidents; 19 of these were thrown out of their vehicles.

In the sample 1,163 car front seat occupants were known to have been un-belted and 490 belted. Thirty-five of the former, out only two of the latter received life-threatening injuries.

A preliminary analysis was published in January 1977 in the Transport and Road Research Laboratory's leaflet, LF 633; and in more detail in June 1977 in the laboratory's supplementary report, SR 289, "Alleviation of Injuries by Use of Seat Belts". A further analysis will be published shortly. I am arranging for copies of all these publications to be sent to my hon. Friend.