By Adelle Loiselle, April 16, 2022, 7:15 p.m.
Ontario provincial police say they are still struggling to sell the benefits of using seat belts to some drivers, and the worst offenders are those for whom it has always been the law.
Police said that between 2012 and 2021, 542 people died because they did not fasten, and the vehicle they were in crashed. Last year there were 47.
Wearing a seat belt became a law in Ontario 46 years ago, in 1976, but police still make nearly 1,000 charges for a seat belt so far this year.
Drivers between the ages of 25 and 34 have the highest death toll. They account for 24% of these deaths.
People between the ages of 15 and 24 account for 22.3% of these deaths, while 13.5% are between the ages of 35 and 44.
While seat belts have proven effective in saving lives over and over again, the OPP said those caught not wearing one have some interesting excuses.
One common myth is that they are not needed for short trips or low-traffic trips, while another is that seat belts can catch the passenger and aggravate injuries.
Others said they were uncomfortable.
For those who think airbags make seat belts unnecessary, the OPP suggests the opposite is true.
“A single airbag deploying in front of or to an unbuttoned driver or passenger can result in serious injury or even death,” police said.
In total, there were 315 deaths on roads patrolled by the OPP last year, a three per cent increase over the previous year. Speed-related deaths are the highest in ten years with 81 deaths.
OPP will be looking for drivers and passengers who do not buckle up during the long Easter weekend.
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