The Initial Impact of the Safety-Belt Legislation in Ireland

摘要

The wearing of safety-belts by front seat occupants of cars and light vans was made compulsory in the Republic of Ireland from February 1, 1979. This report considers the effect of the law during the first eleven months of its operation on wearing rates and on the overall severity of injury to car drivers. It is shown that wearing rates doubled from one in four-prior to the law's introduction to one in two subsequently. The effect of this increase on the severity of injury to car drivers was minimal. Where information was available on safety-belt wearing, the proportion of car drivers killed or seriousIy injured subsequent to the laws introduction was 27.4% compared with 27.7% beforehand. The report considers these figures in somewhat more detail and offers some tentative explanations for these results.