A cross-Border television campaign aimed at encouraging back seat passengers to use seatbelts was announced in Belfast today.
The campaign, which is being promoted by the Irish and Northern Ireland governments, is primarily aimed at primary school children and young adults.
A number of hard-hitting road safety adverts will be carried on RTÉ, TV3, Sky and Northern Ireland television channels from tonight. One features images of a baby with its family and then the scenes at the subsequent funeral.
Speaking this morning, Minister of State for Transport Pat "The Cope" Gallagher said recent studies have shown up to 40 per cent of parents do not ensure their children are properly secured in their cars.
"Seat belts are proven lifesavers and have been shown to reduce the severity of injuries in the event of a collision," he said. "It is essential that they are worn front and rear on every journey no matter how long or short.
"Parents who have the foresight to ensure that their children wear seat belts are protecting them from serious injury or even death."
He said young male adults in the 17 to 24 age group are most likely to die or be seriously hurt in crashes. The campaign was aimed at tackling the "misconception" that rear seat passengers are safer in a crash and do not need to belt up.
Mr Cairns said 15 people die in Northern Ireland every year because they travel without seatbelts. "(This is) a needless and utterly senseless waste of life," he said.
The launch was also attended by David Cairns, Parliamentary Undersecretary of State at Northern Ireland's Department of Environment; Gay Byrne, Chairman of the Road Safety Authority; Maggie Smith, director of road safety in Northern Ireland; and representatives from An Garda Síochána and the PSNI.
