XN000022-1981-05-30 — Page 3

SATURDAY, MAY 30, 1981

ACCORDING TO MR PHIL TAYLOR, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HONG KONG AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION AND A STRONG BELIEVER IN SAFETY SEAT-BELTS, IT IS MORE THAN PROBABLE THAT BY NOW 50 PER CENT OF THE PRIVATE CARS ON HONG KONG'S ROADS HAVE BEEN FITTED WITH APPROVED STANDARD SEAT-BELTS, BUT ONLY A LITTLE MORE THAN TWO PER CENT OF THE DRIVERS ARE WEARING THEM. HE WENT ON TO SAY THAT HE SAW NO DISADVANTAGES IN USING SEAT-BELTS AND THE IR EFFECTIVENESS HAS BEEN PROVED BEYOND DOUBT.

HE SAID, +WHEN YOU COMPARE A SEAT-BELT WITH ANY OTHER AUTO- PART, IT IS THE SINGLE MOST EFFECTIVE SAFETY FEATURE INCORPORATED INTO A CAR TO PROTECT THE DRIVER, SHOULD AN ACCIDENT OCCUR.+

EVIDENCE HAS SHOWN THAT IF SOME OF THE DRIVERS INVOLVED IN ACCIDENTS IN HONG KONG HAD TAKEN THE SIMPLE AND INEXPENSIVE PRECAUTION OF WEARING SEAT-BELTS, MOST OF THE FATALITIES WOULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED AND THE SEVERITY OF MANY OF THE INJURIES GREATLY REDUCED.

MR TAYLOR SAID: +ONE SET OF APPROVED SAFETY SEAT-BELTS ONLY COSTS AROUND $150. IT IS ECONOMICAL AND YET OFFERS MORE PROTECTION THAN ANY OTHER SAFETY MEASURE IN A CAR. IT IS ILLOGICAL NOT TO WEAR A BELT WHEN IT HAS ALREADY BEEN INSTALLED IN A CAR.+

THE PRESIDENT OF THE INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED MOTORISTS

MR STEPHEN NG, WHEN ASKED TO COMMENT SAID THAT WEARING SEAT-BELTS DEFINITELY HELPS TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF DEATHS AND INJURIES THROUGH ROAD ACCIDENTS.

MR NG SAID, +OF COURSE IT IS NECESSARY TO PUT ON A SEAT-BELT FOR ONE GOOD REASON: IT IS 'SAFE',+

EUROPEAN STATISTICS HAVE PROVED THAT A SEAT-BELT IS NOT ONLY AN ACCESSORY IN A CAR, BUT IT IS ALSO A NOT-TO-BE IGNORED SAFETY FACTOR THAT CAN PROTECT A DRIVER OR PASSENGER FROM FATAL INJURIES SHOULD THE IR VEHICLE BE INVOLVED IN A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT, ESPECIALLY A HEAD-ON COLLISION.

MANY TECHNICALLY ADVANCED COUNTRIES, INCLUDING AUSTRALIA, AUSTRIA, BELGIUM, DENMARK, FINLAND, FRANCE, HOLLAND, IRELAND, ISRAEL, LUXEMBURG, SWITZERLAND AND WEST GERMANY, HAVE PASSED LEGISLATION

AND MOST PROVIDE ENFORCING THE COMPULSORY USE OF SEAT-BELTS. PENALTIES FOR NON-USE.

DURING THE PAST FEW YEARS INVESTIGATIONS HAVE SHOWN THAT IF APPROVED SEAT-BELTS HAD BEEN IN GENERAL USE BY THE MOTORING PUBLIC IN HONG KONG, 80 PER CENT OF FATALITIES AND SERIOUS INJURIES SUFFERED BY DRIVERS AS A RESULT OF TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS, WOULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED.

IT IS NOT ONLY ADULTS WHO SHOULD WEAR SAFETY BELTS, CHILDREN TOO, HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED.

USUALLY, CAR OWNERS INSTALL SEAT-BELTS FOR THEMSELVES AND THE FRONT-SEAT PASSENGER, BUT NEGLECT THE SAFETY OF A CHILD, OR OTHER OCCUPANTS, IN THE CAR.

/IN AUSTRALIA

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