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EC to contribute €1.4 million to encourage more widespread use of seat belts 

 

14 February, 2005

 

 

Belgium is preparing to launch a campaign across much of Europe to encourage the more widespread use of seat belts in motor vehicles. 

  

In 10 Member States, the “Euchires 2005” campaign is targeted specifically at children. 

  

In this area where information and education play as important a role as policing, the Commission is helping to systematise exchanges of experience and good practice between Member States. “The situation continues to be too worrying for us not to take action,” stressed Jacques Barrot, European Commission Vice-President and holder of the transport portfolio, “Our objective is to halve the number of fatalities on European roads by 2010.”

 

In 2003, 46 700 people were killed and almost two million injured on roads in the European Union. Changing drivers’ and passengers’ behaviour, particularly in terms of the mandatory use of seat belts or child safety devices, is one of the keys to improving road safety. The Commission intends to play an active role in prevention, and is now waiting for the sponsors of the “Euchires 2005” campaign – which has today been awarded €1.4 million – to provide a precise assessment of the impact of this campaign and its contribution towards improving road safety.

  

The “Euchires 2005” campaign centres on the “Goochem” or “Armadillo” gadget, a toy, (see picture) 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.

The 'Goochem' (or Armadillo) from a Dutch source

 

 

  

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.

 

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See also: European Commission to contribute €1.4 million to encourage more widespread use of seat belts (Feb. 2003)

  

  

Further information:

  

Results of a Commission survey “Statistiques du port de la ceinture” (Statistics on seat-belt use) at:

  

http://sartre.inrets.fr/francais/sartre2F/porcein-fr.htm

  

http://sartre.inrets.fr/english/sartre3E/Booklets/french/Page16.htm

  

http://sartre.inrets.fr/english/sartre3E/Booklets/french/Page17.htm

  

Road safety video on the media library’s website,

  

“Road Safety : let's start by respecting the rules”, at:

  

http://europa.eu.int/comm/mediatheque/video/index_en.html

 

 

 

Source: European Commission - IP/05/171