President's Perspective
Most Canadians would be surprised to know that, except for Quebec, no province or territory requires that all vehicle occupants must wear a seat-belt. As long as all seat-belts are in use, additional passengers are legally allowed to ride without.
Wearing a seat-belt can mean the difference between life and death. National restraint use surveys show that about 90 percent of motorists in urban areas and 85 percent in rural areas wear seat-belts. That means between 10 and 15 percent are unbelted. Yet almost 40 percent of motor vehicle fatalities in this country were not wearing seat-belts at the time of the crash. In 2003, unrestrained vehicle occupants accounted for over 1,000 of the 2,700 who died in motor vehicle collisions.
According to Transport Canada, every percentage point increase in seat-belt use results in 23 fewer deaths and 515 fewer injuries nationally each year.
Canada’s national objective is 95 percent seat-belt use by all occupants, as well as 95 percent proper use of child restraints by 2010.
The Canada Safety Council has urged provincial and territorial governments to limit the number of passengers who can ride in a vehicle to the number of seat-belts.
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