The Ontario Provincial Police says it's finally seeing the results of a focus on enforcing seat belt laws.
In 2005, there were 120 seat belt-related deaths on OPP-patrolled roads. In 2014, there were 50 deaths.
But Chief Superintendent Chuck Cox, provincial commander of the OPP Highway Safety Division, says it's not a time to get complacent.
"We are proud to see Ontarians come such a long way with seat belt safety over the past ten years. In spite of the steady progress, we need all road users to start recognizing the significant role a seat belt plays in increasing one's chances of surviving a road crash and reducing the severity of injuries," he says.
Seat belts will be the focus of OPP enforcement and education over the long Easter weekend. Officers also remind drivers to stay within posted speed limits, not drive while distracted and to stay sober before getting behind the wheel.
Here are the OPP's seat belt stats:
- Over the past ten years (2005 to 2014), 856 people have died in road crashes in which not wearing a seat belt was a causal factor in their deaths.
- More than two thirds of the deceased were males (646) and 210 were females.
- The majority of those who died were drivers (611) and 245 were passengers.
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