§ Mr. Mawbyasked the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total cost to public funds since 1970 arising from road casualties which could have been avoided had (a) all and (b) 85 per cent. of drivers and passengers been wearing seat belts.
§ Mr. FowlerThe best estimates I can give relating to drivers and front seat passengers are £100 million and £80 million respectively at current prices.
§ Mr. Mawbyasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will provide an estimate of the total number of (a) fatalities and (b) serious casualties avoided had (i) all or (ii) 85 per cent. of drivers and passengers been wearing seat belts, giving figures since 1970, 1975, 1978 and 1979.
§ Mr. FowlerThe savings which might be achieved by compulsion depend of 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 countries indicates.
An illustration of the potential savings from higher wearing rates is as follows: 398W
Potential Savings All hours seat belt wearing rate Killed Seriously injured 100 per cent. 1,000 10,000 85 per cent. 800 8,000 75 per cent. 650 6,500 50 per cent. 300 3,000 Precise estimates for each year cannot be made.