By Brian Schultz
New data from Transport Canada shows 30 percent of deaths on Manitoba roads are linked to not wearing a seat belt.
Manitoba Public Insurance says 31 people are killed annually in the province because they didn’t buckle up. From 2005 to 2009, 156 people were killed and another 325 were seriously injured.
While the number of Manitobans using seat belts is increasing, the study showed the provincial seat belt usage rate was 93.8 — good for sixth place in Canada. British Columbia had the highest rate of people wearing seat belts at 96.9, while Yukon had the lowest at 78.1.
The study found that seat belt wearing rates in pick-up trucks are lower than passenger cars, minivans and SUVs, males buckle up less than females and back seat occupants don’t use their seatbelt as much as front seat occupants.
Seat belt enforcement campaigns will run during the remaining part of March throughout the province.
The ticket for not wearing a seat belt is $292.65, in addition to dropping two levels in MPI’s Driver Safety Rating.
