Ontario's Seatbelt Law turns 40

THORNHILL, ON, Sept. 26, 2016 /CNW/ - In celebration of the 40^th anniversary of Ontario's mandatory seatbelt law CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO) is reminding motorists to buckle up.

Up until 1962, cars weren't equipped with seatbelts. During that time, CAA SCO supplied members with belts as part of its traffic safety initiatives and urged car manufacturers to install them. By the '70s, cars were built with seatbelts and, in 1976 seatbelt use became mandatory in Ontario.

Statistics for seatbelt use have improved greatly over the last 40 years. According to the Ontario Road Safety Annual Report (2013), over 90 per cent of Ontarians wear their seatbelts and the fatality rate has fallen 85 per cent since seatbelts became mandatory.

Even with the knowledge that wearing a seatbelt dramatically increases chances of surviving a collision, some still refuse to buckle up. In 2012, about one in every four motorists killed on Ontario's roads were unbelted. In the same year, 31,398 drivers and passengers were penalized for not wearing seatbelts.

"CAA encourages all drivers and passengers to follow the law and use seatbelts properly. We also urge parents and caregivers to ensure children are appropriately secured in child car seats and booster seats," said Tracy Nickleford, Community Relations Manager, CAA SCO.

For more information on driving safety, visit www.caasco.com/auto/driving-safely.

As a leader and advocate for road safety and mobility, CAA South Central Ontario is a not-for-profit auto club which represents the interests of 2 million members. For over a century, CAA has collaborated with communities, police services and governments to help keep drivers and their families safe while travelling on our roads.

Follow @CAASCO_News on Twitter for regular updates on wait times, other news and information.

 

SOURCE CAA South Central Ontario

Media contact: Silvana Aceto, Media and PR Consultant, CAA SCO, [email protected], Office: [phone], Cell: [phone] or Jeff LeMoine, Communications Consultant, CAA SCO [email protected], Office: [phone], Cell: [phone].