Commission contributes 1.4 million to seat belt campaign

Publication date: 14 February 2005

The European Commission contributes 1.4 million Euro to the seat belt campaign "Euchires", which wants to encourage the more widespread use of seat belts in motor vehicles and specifically targets at children. The campaign centres on the “Goochem” or “Armadillo” gadget, a toy, which makes wearing a seatbelt more pleasant for children aged 4 to 12.

Launched in the Netherlands in 2004, the campaign now extends to Belgium, the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

Background:
Recent studies in the various countries involved in the project have shown that the levels of use of seat belts in the front seats of vehicles are still not satisfactory (only 60 to 80%). Rear seat belts are even less widely used (a rate of only 50%). Child protection devices are not commonly used either. In the EU countries with the best road safety records (the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom) the level of seat-belt use (all seats) is approximately 90%.

All international experts agree that promoting the widespread use of safety belts is the least costly and probably most effective way of reducing the number of fatalities and serious injuries on the roads. A 90% level of seat-belt use everywhere would save hundreds of lives each year and would drastically reduce the number of serious injuries, thus several hundred million euros each year in social costs.

Further information:
Results of a Commission survey on seat-belt use at:
http://sartre.inrets.fr/english/sartre3E/Booklets/french/Page16.htm
http://sartre.inrets.fr/english/sartre3E/Booklets/french/Page17.htm