§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what plans he has to standardise seat belt design for all passengers; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he will require vehicle manufacturers to replace straps with standard seat belts.
§ Mr. ChopeSeat belt design is already standardised under European Community directive 77/541/EEC as amended and adapted by directives 81/576/EEC, 82/319/EEC and 90/628/EEC. These standards do not specify three-point belts in all cases since for many in-board seating positions it is only technically possible for two anchoring points to be fitted.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what research his Department is carrying out into the potential dangers of the wearing of single strap seat belts;
(2) what statistical information he has on injuries associated with the wearing of single strap seat belts.
§ Mr. ChopeStatistics on injuries caused by the wearing of lap belts in the United Kingdom are not available, but research in the United States indicates that lap belts reduce death and serious injury by 25 to 40 per cent. and three-point belts by 40 to 50 per cent. Although there is no current research specifically into this topic, the Department is monitoring the effectiveness of all seat belts, in its accident crash investigations.