One-third of victims in car crash deaths not wearing seatbelts: NL RCMP

JOHN’S, N.L. – RCMP in Newfoundland and Labrador say one-third of collision fatalities over a five-year span involved people not wearing seatbelts.

They say that from 2013 until mid-July, 182 people were killed in 154 crashes with about 35 per cent of those killed not buckled up.

The numbers do not include fatalities in which a medical condition caused the fatal crash, such as a heart attack, or involved fatalities in off-road areas.

Police issued the statistics in a bid to encourage people to wear seatbelts, arguing that many of the collisions would not have been fatal if the victims had been wearing seatbelts.

RCMP Sgt. Oliver Whiffen says they are launching a social campaign about seatbelt use because of increased summer travel, adding that belts can prevent people from going through a windshield or slamming against other passengers, and should be an automatic response for every driver and passenger.

It is using the hashtag BuckleUpN-L and asking people to share posts, pictures or videos about safe driving and buckling up.