A new report published by road safety charity Brake, in conjunction with AXA UK, reveals that a startling proportion of car drivers and passengers are forgoing the benefits of seat belts.

A staggering 41% of night-time road deaths involve occupants who are not wearing a seat belt.

In day time, a still baffling proportion of drivers aren't belting up. 24% of road deaths involved a driver not wearing their belt.

Ross Moorlock, CEO at Brake, said: “Over the last five years, a quarter of car drivers and passengers who died in road crashes on roads in Britain weren’t wearing a seat belt. From 2018 to 2022, more than 3,000 car occupants have died and 44,000 have suffered serious injuries."

He continued, "Seat belts are one of the simplest and most effective ways to protect ourselves when travelling by car, yet some still choose to risk their own safety – and the safety of those travelling with them – by choosing not to belt up."

The report: Seat Belts and Passive Safety Systems