Why should I wear a seatbelt? Seatbelts save lives. If you are involved in a collision and you are not wearing a seatbelt you are 18 times more likely to die than someone who does wear a seatbelt.
Seatbelts save lives because they stop a person from being ejected from the car and they spread the impact force over a greater area of the body.
Don’t airbags replace the need for seatbelts? Seatbelts and airbags have entirely different functions. A seatbelt is designed to lock in place when a sudden force is exerted against it. This means it restrains a person, preventing them from moving with the inertia of the car when the car is brought to a stop or is forced to change direction. The airbag increases the length of impact that may occur between an occupant and the interior of a car. By increasing the impact time, the energy of the impact dissipates and therefore reduces the severity of the injuries to the person. The two features work in conjunction to ensure the body is held in the correct position for the airbag to be most efficient.
How many people have died because they weren’t wearing seatbelts?
In 2008, 57 people involved in fatal crashes in WA may still be alive today if they had been wearing a seatbelt. That’s 22% of all fatalities! Males aged 17-39 made up 51% of those killed in WA in 2008.
What is the penalty for not wearing a seatbelt? A driver who does not wear a seatbelt will be fined $500 and will accrue four demerit points. If a passenger is 16 years and over and does not wear their seatbelt they will be fined $500 and the driver of the vehicle will also be fined $500 and accrue four demerit points.
Can I ‘double up’ passengers if there are not enough seatbelts in the car? No. It is against the law to have two people restrained by one seatbelt.
Do I have to wear seatbelts in a bus? If a bus or coach is fitted with seatbelts you are required to use the seatbelt.
Can I ride in the back of my friends ute? A person is not allowed to ride in the open load space of any vehicle. This includes sitting in the tray of a ute, in the back of a panel van or station wagon.
The penalties for being a passenger in this manner are the same as the penalties for not wearing a seatbelt.