More than one in five people killed on Scotland’s roads were not wearing a seatbelt.
A new campaign from Road Safety Scotland and Police Scotland has revealed the figures as they came together to urge people to wear one no matter what.
The campaign comes as 18 percent of drivers say they don’t believe it’s important that passengers sitting in the back of a car wear a seatbelt.
Research has shown that wearing one reduces both fatal and non-fatal injuries whether people are sitting in the front or back of a car.
The new campaign is detailing the importance of wearing a seatbelt at all times and reminds the public that it is a legal requirement to wear one, including if you are travelling in a taxi or other private hire vehicle.
Despite that, 11% of drivers admit they don’t always wear a seatbelt for every journey.
Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop said: “Fastening your seatbelt is one of the simplest actions you can take to protect yourself and others. In a collision, failing to wear a seatbelt can have devastating consequences - not only for the driver and passengers but for your loved ones.
“This campaign serves as an essential reminder to anyone travelling in a car: a seatbelt can mean the difference between life and death and it’s not just you who gets hurt. Make it a habit on every journey.”
Chief Superintendent Hilary Sloan, Head of Road Policing at Police Scotland, said: "Wearing a seatbelt isn’t optional, it’s the law. Our officers will engage with and educate drivers and passengers on the importance of seatbelts, but we will also continue to take appropriate enforcement action, with those caught not wearing a seatbelt facing a fine up to £500.
“Drivers should also remember they are legally responsible for ensuring passengers under 14 are using their seatbelts, with fines issued for every child not properly restrained.”
“The evidence is clear – seatbelts reduce injuries and save lives. Don’t take an unnecessary risk – wear a seatbelt every time you travel.”
One person who now lives with the consequences of not wearing a seatbelt is Laura Torrance, who was 16 when she suffered significant spinal injuries that has left her paralysed.
She had got in a car with a group of friends, including the driver, who had passed his test just four days prior when the car crashed in East Kilbride. She was thrown from the vehicle and suffered the life-changing injuries and admits her biggest regret is not wearing a seatbelt or listening to concerns about the driver’s ability.
Now 41, she said: “Everything completely changed at 16-years-old. I lost the use of my legs, had to re-learn my body all over again, it had a massive impact not only on me but my family. My mum, my dad, my little sister. It completely turned our whole lives upside down.
“I actually had a mutual friend that warned me that the driver was just trying to show off, as you do when you first get a car or you’re with your friends and he warned me and I thought I knew better.
“You always think that it won’t happen to you but it very much can because it did happen to me. I was just so cocky, I was just a 16-year-old girl that thought I knew everything but clearly not. If you think it can’t happen to you – it can.”
The campaign will run across streaming services, cinema, radio, digital and outdoor channels.
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