Police disappointed after hundreds booked despite seat belt campaign

Ninety-one people who died in traffic accidents in six years had not been wearing their seat belts, police said on Saturday, expressing disappointment over the results of a week-long campaign that saw over a thousand drivers and passengers booked for not wearing the safety device.

According to a statement, police had carried out a campaign between May 1 and May 7, focusing on seat belt use.

The campaign, which had been announced beforehand, focused on sensitising people to put their belt on as soon as they get into their vehicle thus preventing fatal and serious injuries.

“The results during the week are not positive at all,” police said.

During the week, officers reported 1,027 drivers and passengers for not wearing their seatbelts. Most, 922, were booked for failure to wear it in the front seats; 97 in the back seats, and eight concerned children’s seats.

Police said 91 people killed in accidents between 2011 and 2016 had not been wearing their belts.

“If some of our fellow humans had been wearing their safety belts, today they would certainly be among us. There are no excuses; it only takes a click.”

 

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