§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate how many(a) drivers, (b) front-seat passengers and (c) back-seat passengers have been (i) killed and (ii) injured as a result of not wearing a seat belt in a vehicle in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [8229]
§ Mr. BowisStatistics for seat belt wearing are available only until 1993 and only for the occupants of cars and vans. The position of front and back-seat passengers is available only for car passengers. The following table shows the recorded numbers of such drivers and passengers killed and injured in Great Britain while not wearing a seat belt whether or not one was fitted. The table does not include figures for the casualties where the wearing of a belt was not reported—about a quarter of all accidents.
255WIt is known how many of these casualties were as a direct result of not wearing a seat belt, but it is estimated that 510 lives and 8,800 serious injuries have been saved each year as a result of seat belts being worn.