10 percent of children in Ireland don’t wear seat belts in cars, new study reveals

The Road Safety Authority and An Garda Síochána have teamed up.

They are urging parents to make sure their children wear seat belts while they are in the car. This comes after new research has shown that one in ten kids do not use proper restraints when they are on Irish roads. The RSA carried out a study on 3,861 children last year. The agency that promote road safety observed their seat belt usage both in the front of vehicles and in the back. Overall, they found that 93 percent of youngsters do wear their protective belt. However, that figure lowered to 89 percent when observing kids in the back of the car only. This shows that some mamas and papas still allow their little ones to move around in the car while they are driving. Minister for Transport, Shane Ross has asked parents to be cautious about this safety issue. He said:

"With children returning to school over the coming weeks, traffic levels will increase, and motorists need to be mindful of our most vulnerable road users." "I am asking parents to ensure any child travelling in their vehicle is using their seatbelt or the correct child restraint, and to educate children to be vigilant when out walking or cycling to school."

Chairperson of the RSA, Liz O'Donnell said that the latest research carried out in 2017 is "very worrying". She added:

"A child cannot be responsible for their own safety. It’s up to us as responsible adults to do the right thing to ensure their safety."

According to the RSA, one in five people killed on Irish roads last year were not wearing a seat belt.