New Brunswick RCMP driving home message that seat belts save lives

The New Brunswick RCMP are pleading with drivers to buckle-up.

RCMP West District Traffic Services Collision Analyst Cpl. Ryan Lewis says people who wear seat belts are 25 times more likely to survive a collision.

Lewis says that in 2015 there were 51 people killed on roadways in their RCMP jurisdiction and 22 of those people were not wearing seat belts.

He says that means 43 per cent of people killed on New Brunswick roads weren’t wearing seat belts.

“It takes two seconds of your life to put your seat belt on,” Lewis said.

Lewis says there’s overwhelming evidence that when you’re not wearing a seat belt during a collision you’re going to be seriously injured or killed.

Driver Anna Cormier says she always wears a seat belt because it’s safe, and part of the law.

Driver Jesse Cole says he wears a seat belt “most of the time” but not every time.  He says he’s gotten in the habit of jumping in the car and “going” without putting his seat belt on.

“To be honest, I don’t wear it as often as i should,” Cole said.

Cole says it’s something he will consider from now on.

Lewis says many people who don’t wear seat belts often think a collision won’t happen to them.

“It’s a major concern,” Lewis said.

Lewis says it’s everyone’s responsibility to ensure they are buckled up.

One tool the RCMP use to get the message across is the use of a rollover simulator at public events.  The truck cab rotates and shows the impact of a rollover at 48 kilometres per hour and dummies are put in the simulator.

“The simulator is used for demonstrating what happens during a rollover collision – with and without a seat belt,” Lewis said.

He says it’s something he hopes will make people realize the potential damage and that fatalities that can be caused by not wearing a seat belt.

Lewis says high speeds on the highway are significantly different from the simulator

“I couldn’t even describe how much more violent it is than what you witnessed today,” Lewis said.

He says he’s seen first-hand the damage and knows the toll that can be caused on families, police and first responders.

“There’s nothing worse than having to go to someone’s house and tell them that they have a loved one that’s been killed,” Lewis said.

He also says parents need to buckle their children into car seats properly and wants to remind drivers about the importance of securing items.

He says any lose objects can become projectiles in a rollover and that can have serious results as well.