Seat Belt Laws Will Come into Effect
By Anita Rolle - The Abaconian 15 Apr 2002

A seat belt law was passed in Parliament in January 2002. It will come into effect in June. When in effect it will be mandatory for motorists and their passengers to wear seat belts and for small children to be safely placed in child-safety seats.

A nationwide campaign by the private sector along with the government has been launched to enforce the use of seat belts and child safety seats. Under the theme When you buckle up for safety, you buckle up for life, the campaign is aimed at keeping traffic fatalities to a minimum. The joint effort in a series of educational campaigns will include:- media blitz to educate and answer questions on the proper use of seat belts; promote child safety seats and seat belts; billboard advertising, bumper stickers and school assemblies; road safety messages on shopping bags; town meetings in Family Islands to sensitize motorists here; and enforcement by the Police and Road Traffic department at various checkpoints to encourage motorists to wear seat belts.

Safety experts believe that seat belts and child restraining devices have many positive benefits. These include a reduction of fatalities; the protection of occupants from injuries; and physical injuries from being hit by oncoming vehicles can also be reduced. In 2001 56 persons died in traffic related accidents and 76 persons in 2000. So far in 2002 there have been five traffic fatalities. Authorities consider these numbers to be too high for a nation so small. Once the law is enacted, there will be a $300 fine for persons in breach.