Study: Half of all European truck drivers don't wear their seatbelts

Study: Half of all European truck drivers don't wear their seatbelts: "

Filed under: Truck, Europe, Government/Legal, Work, Volvo, By the Numbers

Volvo truck during crash testing - Click above for high-res image

New research has revealed that up to 50 percent of European truck drivers don't buckle up when they hit the road. A study by CEASAR Research Institute discovered that seatbelt use among truck drivers varies widely from country to country - from as little as 10 percent to better than 70 percent - it all averages out to the fact that around half of the long-haul drivers don't use their belts.



The study also attempted to figure out why the usage rates were so low. Not surprisingly, there's something of a stigma attached to strapping yourself into a big rig, with some drivers believing they're safer in a large mass vehicle compared to a small passenger car. Even so, the CEASAR study claims that traffic fatalities among truck drivers could be decreased by as much as 40 percent if drivers simply took the time to click it.



Of the countries surveyed, France had the highest seatbelt usage - 70 percent - thanks largely to the fact that the country has legislation on the books to encourage drivers to be safe. Driving without a seatbelt in France will net you points on your license. Too many points, and you're walking to work. Hop the jump for the full press release.



[Source: Volvo]

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Study: Half of all European truck drivers don't wear their seatbelts originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 07:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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