The WA Government has launched a new ‘Seatbelts Save Lives’ campaign through the Road Safety Commission to help raise awareness of the importance of wearing seatbelts.
The campaign provides insight into the true impact of not wearing seatbelts from the point of view of those first on the scene in a crash.
Over the past five years, 20 per cent of people who died in a crash on Western Australian roads were not wearing seatbelts.
“It continues to shock me that people are still not putting on their seatbelt – it should be automatic,” said Road Safety Minister David Michael.
“Last year 23 people died on our roads not wearing a seatbelt. Many of those people are likely to be alive today if they had only taken the time to just click on that belt.
The Seatbelts Save Lives campaign profiles first responders from the WA Police, St John WA and the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES).
Carla, a DFES first responder, is featured. “I see things no one should have to see,” she says. “Research is clear – if you are not wearing a seatbelt and are involved in a crash you are almost five times more likely to die.”
The campaign will run across television, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram:
This campaign comes as the Road Safety Commission prepares to introduce safety cameras with the capability to detect and fine drivers and front seat passengers not wearing a seatbelt.
While most people are compliant, a trial of the safety cameras on WA roads in 2022/23 detected 11,400 cases of a failure to buckle up.
“I look forward to the implementation of the new safety cameras because we know that deterrence works. If people think they might be caught doing the wrong thing they change their behaviour and that will save lives,” Michael added.
“There is no one size fits all approach when it comes to changing road safety attitudes and behaviour, which is why I am pleased to deliver both education and enforcement initiatives to encourage more people to ‘just click’.”