23 April 2002: FF1 : Ford Dealers of Ireland are supporting the National Safety Council in a new seatbelt campaign aimed at encouraging the 43% of Irish motorists who never wear a seatbelt to belt up. Irish Seatbelt wearing rates, according to the Council, lag far behind many of our European neighbours and should be as high as 85%.

The ‘Clicked Yet?’ initiative marks the first time a car company has supported an NSC media campaign.

“Seatbelts are proven life savers,” says NSC Chief Executive, Pat Costello. “In a head on collision, at speeds as low as 40 kph, drivers or passenger not wearing seat belts will almost certainly be killed or seriously injured.

Surveys have shown that the vast majority (80%) of rear seat passengers - mostly children - are never buckled up. Male drivers are reluctant to use seatbelts - their wearing rate is 20% below that of females. And many mature drivers are unfamiliar with legal requirement to wear a belt - front and rear.

Eddie Murphy, Chairman and Managing Director, Ford Ireland, said the huge strides made in driver and passenger safety in recent years have not displaced the seatbelt as an essential component of a car's safety system. “The multiple airbags at the heart of Ford's Intelligent Protection System, for example, will afford full protection only if used in conjunction with seatbelts - front and rear.”

‘Clicked Yet?’ is part of a wider NSC seatbelt campaign set to run from the May Bank Holiday Weekend through the summer encouraging motorists to factor good road safety practice into all car journeys - short runs and long distance. Fifteen people lost their lives in road crashes over the St Patrick’s and Easter Bank Holidays.

The gardai have warned that levels of seatbelt enforcement will be stepped up over the May Bank Holiday.

©2002irishcar.com