MOST of those who died in road accidents this year would have been saved if they were wearing their seat belt, head of traffic police Demetris Demetriou said yesterday.
“We had 38 deaths this year and 25 were not wearing their seat belt… I can tell you responsibly and with certainty that 20 of those would be with us today (if they were wearing their seat belt),” Demetriou said.
Three people died in car accidents over Christmas when the drivers lost control of their cars under unknown circumstances.
Despite the damage to their cars the driver’s and passenger’s seats were intact so if they had put on their seat belts they might still be alive, Demetriou said.
“It’s inconceivable that 24 years after the legislation passed making seat belts compulsory… to still observe such phenomena,” Demetriou said.
On Christmas night at around 10.30pm, two people lost their lives when the driver, 57, lost control of his car and crashed on a car driving on the opposite lane.
The 57-year-old was driving on Larnaca Avenue towards Aglandjia in Nicosia.
Both the driver and his 54-year-old passenger died as a result of their injuries.
They had not been wearing a seat belt.
The 28-year-old driver of the car they crashed into was slightly injured.
The police did not note whether or not the 28-year-old had been wearing his own seat belt.
Earlier on Christmas Day at 7.30am a 23-year-old lost his life when he lost control of his car while driving on the Paphos-Limassol highway.
He was driving towards Limassol when he hit a mound on the left and then crashed onto the dividing island in the middle of the highway before his car stopped.
The 23-year-old was thrown out onto the highway’s opposite lane.
“It’s inconceivable that people refuse to take elementary safety measures to protect their own life,” Demetriou said.
Demetriou said that in 2011 the police reported some 21,000 separate incidents in relation to failing to wear a seat belt.
Demetriou said that people had died in road accidents involving cars incurring damage of up to €500.
“It makes you wonder if life is so cheap in Cyprus,” Demetriou said.
Demetriou said they had suggested the introduction of penalty points for failing to wear a seat belt in built-up areas as well as a hike in fines of up to €350.
“It seems that some must pay money to understand the necessity of putting on a seat belt,” Demetriou said.
