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Shocking Seat Belts Advert Aims to Save a Life Each Day

DEPARTMENT FOR TRANSPORT News Release (162) issued by COI News Distribution Service. 3 November 2008

A shocking new THINK! campaign to highlight the deadly consequences of not always wearing a seat belt was launched today by Road Safety Minister Jim Fitzpatrick.

New statistics show one life could be saved each day if all drivers and passengers belted up every time they got in a car.

Graphic images of the fatal damage caused to internal organs are shown in a new TV advert highlighting the three devastating crashes you experience in a road accident if you are not wearing a seat belt.

The £2.6m THINK! campaign comes after research showed that while very few people never wear a seat belt, many drivers and passengers are gambling with their lives by not belting up every time they get in a car. They are risking death or serious injury, even at everyday speeds like 30mph.

Jim Fitzpatrick said:

"Every day someone dies simply because they are not wearing a seat belt. That's a tragic waste that could be avoided if everyone took the simple step of belting up whenever they got in a car.

"If you have a crash without wearing a seat belt you actually experience three crashes, even at everyday speeds like 30mph. First, your car crashes and stops. Second - because there's nothing to stop you moving - your body carries on and hits the inside of the car. Third, you stop but your internal organs keep moving, hitting the inside of your body and tearing under the force of the impact.

"I hope this hard-hitting new campaign will help everyone realise that they are risking their life whenever they get in a car and don't put their seat belt on."

You are twice as likely to die in a crash if you are not wearing a seat belt and a new analysis of casualty figures shows about one life each day could be saved in Britain if everyone always wore a belt.

Seat belts have prevented an estimated 60,000 deaths and 670,000 serious injuries since 1983 when seat belts were made mandatory for drivers and front seat passengers.

The new THINK! campaign, which includes television, radio, cinema, ambient and online advertising, is based on detailed research into people's seat belt wearing habits. It showed that:

* People are less likely to wear seat beats on low speed, short journeys on familiar roads - even though they are still risking their lives in these cases.

* Young men are least likely to always wear a seat belt.

* Some people believe they don't need to wear a seat belt if the car has airbags. That's wrong - airbags are designed to be used with seat belts. They supplement them and will not provide adequate protection on their own.

The advert is so realistic and hard-hitting it can only be shown after 9pm. An edited version has been produced for earlier showings - describing but not showing the damage to internal organs.

Notes to editors

1. Seatbelt facts:

* The latest surveys (October 2007) show 95 per cent of adult front seat passengers and 94 per cent of drivers wear seatbelts. For back seat passengers, 96% of children (under 14) and 69% of adults are secured.

* A new analysis of accident statistics from 2002 to 2006 shows that 353 lives could have been saved each year if everyone always wore a seatbelt.

* Once one person puts their seatbelt on, everyone else in the car is more likely to do so.

* All the safety features you paid for in your car were tested with the assumption you would be wearing a belt. Without a seat belt, those safety features are of little benefit.

2. Seatbelts timeline:

1965: It becomes compulsory to fit seatbelts in the front of cars built in Europe.

1970: "Clunk Click" TV commercials, starring Jimmy Saville show the dangers of being thrown through the windscreen in a collision, as wearing rates are very low.

1983: Front seatbelt wearing regulations for drivers and passengers (both adult and children) come into force.

1989: Wearing rear seatbelts become compulsory for children under 14.

1991: It becomes compulsory for adults to belt up in the back.

1993: "Elephant" TV commercial, shot in black and white, demonstrates the danger presented by an unrestrained back seat passenger in a crash, who can be thrown forward with the impact of three and a half tons.

1996: "Peter Pan" and "Doctor" radio commercials aimed at increasing awareness among children and teenagers are aired.

1998: "Julie" TV commercial comes as a reminder that unbelted rear seat passengers can not only injure themselves, but can also kill other people in the car.

1999: A cinema commercial "Vectorscope" screened nation wide in cinemas along with the "Julie" commercial.

2003: "Backwards" TV commercial demonstrates, with the help of a flying pizza, the difference that a simple click can make between life and death.

2007: "Julie" TV commercial is re-aired to educate a new generation about the importance of wearing a seatbelt in the back of the car.

2008: New "Three Strikes" TV commercial launches to remind all drivers and passengers of the importance of wearing a seat belt whenever they get in a car by graphically demonstrating the internal injuries caused by collisions, even at low speeds.

3. Penalties

The penalty for non-compliance, on conviction, is a maximum fine of £500 or if a Fixed Penalty Notice is offered and accepted, a fine of £30.

The Home Office is currently consulting on raising the Fixed Penalty Notice fine to £60. Depending on the results of the consultation, they aim to implement any change during 2009.

4. TV advert script

Richard didn't want to die. But he couldn't stop himself.

The collision with the car didn't kill him.

But he wasn't wearing a seatbelt, so he continued on his journey.

When he hit the inside of the car, that didn't kill him either.

But his internal organs carried on travelling.

Until they hit his ribcage.

And his lungs were punctured.

And his heart was torn.

And that's what killed Richard.

What's stopping you?

Think! Always wear a seat belt.

5. Campaign dates

- TV advertising - 3rd November - 7th December

- Radio advertising - 3rd - 30th November

- Cinema advertising - 21st November - 5th December

- Online advertising - November

- Ambient advertising - petrol pump & car park barriers - 3rd - 30th November

The first screening of the TV advert will be just before 7pm on Monday, 3 November, on ITV.

6. Research

Research on numbers of lives saved by seatbelts conducted by TRL Ltd (formerly the Transport Research Laboratory). Report TRL 563 available on-line at http://www.trl.co.uk/store/report_list.asp?pid=211&pno=7&searchtext=&advancedsearch=&allwords=&submitted=1the Transport Research Laboratory.

"Strapping Yarns: Why people do and do not wear seat belts" will be published on Monday 3 November 2008. Road Safety Research Report 98 will be available on-line from http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/research/rsrr/

Public Enquiries: 020 7944 8300
Department for Transport Website: http://www.dft.gov.uk