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Initial study finds wearing of rear seat belts effective
There has been a reduction in casualties in traffic accidents involving rear seat private car passengers following the implementation of compulsory wearing of rear seat belts last June, according to an initial study conducted by Transport Department.
Senior Engineer of the Transport Department's Road Safety and Standards Division, Miss Ying Fun-fong, said today (Friday) the improvement was attributed to the compulsory wearing of rear seat belts.
"Although we cannot fully establish that wearing rear seat belt has a direct implication on the drop in accidents and reduction in severity of casualties, it is undoubtedly a contributing factor to the decline in the latter half of last year," she said.
Statistics showed there were 7,276 private cars involved in traffic accidents in 1996, a reduction of five per cent from 1995 (7,634 cases). Private car casualties were 4,353 in 1996 compared to 4,697 in the previous year, a drop of seven per cent.
Miss Ying noted that the trend was more encouraging when looking at the percentage reduction in the number of casualties involving private car rear seat passenger. There were 1,277 casualties in 1996 compared to 1,401 in 1995, a reduction of nine per cent.
Miss Ying pointed out that the improvement was more significant when comparing statistics for the first six months after implementation and the same period of last year.
Between June and November in 1996, there were 592 casualties involving rear seat private car passengers while the number for the six-month period in 1995 was 717, a reduction of 17 per cent.
Same level of improvement was found on the severity of casualties, 99 people were killed or seriously injured in traffic accidents in this period compared to 119 in 1995.
The Government introduced compulsory fitting and wearing of rear seat belts of private cars registered on or after June 1, 1996. The wearing of rear seat belts was also made compulsory from the date for those private cars in which they are fitted.