Seatbelt use by drivers and passengers on the decline, says latest RSA research

Seatbelt usage by both drivers and front-seat passengers is in decline according to research published by the Road Safety Authority on Monday.

Research from both European and Irish studies shows drivers increasingly do not obey what Minister for State for Transport Jack Chambers described as “the first rule of road safety” by ensuring their seatbelt is fastened.

In separate findings the Road Safety Authority said provisional data showed 22 per cent of car users killed between 2019-2023 were not wearing a seat belt. The data also showed 7 per cent of car users who were seriously injured between 2019-2023 were not wearing a seat belt at the time of the collision.

According to what the RSA said was a “manual observational study of seat belt wearing of drivers and passengers” conducted across 26 counties in the Republic, seatbelt-wearing rates by drivers decreased by 4 points, from 99 per cent to 95 per cent in 2023 compared to 2022.

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A five-point decrease was recorded for front seat passengers from 99 per cent to 94 per cent. Rear-seat passenger seat belt wearing rates increased overall by 2 points from 93 per cent to 95 per cent.

The European study of road users’ attitudes showed one in 10, or 10 per cent, reported driving without wearing a seat belt at least once in the last 30 days, as did those travelling in the front seat. The online ESRA3 survey was conducted in 39 countries collecting data from more than 37,000 road users, 901 of whom were in Ireland.

Commenting on the research Mr Chambers said he was “really concerned to see the decline in seat belt use”.

“Drivers need to take responsibility for themselves and their passengers. Seat belts save lives, and choosing not to wear one is not only dangerous, but selfish too.”

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