Seat belt use research by Brake - RAC comment

Reacting to new research by Brake that shows that half of young drivers have been in a car with someone not wearing a seat belt, RAC road safety spokesperson Pete Williams said:

“Buckling up takes seconds and saves lives, and it is difficult to comprehend why a driver or passenger of any age would choose not to do this and put themselves at risk.

“Perhaps young drivers feel they are so cocooned in modern vehicles that boast a myriad of safety features that they don’t need to worry about the basics like using a seatbelt, and it might also explain why many people continue to believe they can safely multitask while driving, like using a handheld mobile phone.

“Younger drivers are disproportionately involved in accidents and these findings should perhaps be a prompt to the Government to try and understand on a deeper level why this is the case and what can be done the reduce collision rates among drivers of this age.”

Press office team

Press office team

For journalist enquiries only

Share

Latest stories

Website preview
Government launches crackdown on ‘misleading’ private parking firms - RAC comment
In light of the Government launching a consultation on the legislation-backed parking code of practice, RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “We desperately need a government-backed private parking code of practice to be brought into force to protect drivers.
media.rac.co.uk
Website preview
RAC issues warning to drivers as temperatures rise
With temperatures rising across the UK and a heatwave expected in many areas, RAC breakdown spokesperson Alice Simpson said:
media.rac.co.uk
Website preview
Private parking companies issue a record 14.4m tickets to drivers in a single year
Car park management companies made nearly 4,000 requests a day to the DVLA for vehicle keeper details from April 2024 to March 2025
media.rac.co.uk

Get updates in your mailbox

By clicking "Subscribe" I confirm I have read and agree to the Privacy Policy.

About RAC Media Centre

The RAC Media Centre provides journalists and news outlets with the latest motoring-related news, comment, data and research.

The RAC is an iconic UK brand, and provides complete peace of mind to nearly 14 million UK private and business drivers - whatever their motoring needs. As well as its premium nationwide breakdown assistance service – with an expert branded patrol workforce attending more than two million breakdowns every year – and European breakdown assistance products, it offers a wide range of market-leading products across insurance, legal services, vehicle inspections and service, maintenance and repair. Included in this is the first-of-its-kind nationwide Mobile Mechanics service which brings the garage to homes and workplaces. 

At the forefront of new solutions for business fleets and consumers, the RAC’s breakdown service is electric-ready with mobile EV charging technology and be called on using myRAC – its all-in-one route planner, fuel finder and breakdown reporting app

Contact

press.office@rac.co.uk

media.rac.co.uk