Bradford consultant urges motorists to use seatbelts

9:00am Wednesday 15th August 2012 in News

Consultant Tony Shenton Consultant Tony Shenton

A Bradford consultant is urging people across the city to wear their seatbelts after a family who were not wearing theirs were brought into accident and emergency following a car accident.

Tony Shenton said he was surprised that the group had escaped with nothing more than cuts and bruises.

“These adults and children were very, very fortunate as it could have been a lot worse,” he said.

“I know I won’t be in an exclusive club when I say that driving through the city, time and again, I see young children not strapped into their safety seats, despite there being widespread public health messages telling parents that this is the law and the safest means of travel for their young ones.

“I feel it is time to send out a message to our community again that wearing a seatbelt is one of the most effective and proven means of reducing the likelihood of death and serious injury in a crash.”

Seatbelts are designed to retain people in their seats and so prevent or reduce injuries in a crash. Since the law to wear seatbelts was introduced in 1983, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has found front seatbelts alone are estimated to have saved more than 50,000 lives across Great Britain.

Mr Shenton urged people across the district to consult with Bradford Council’s road safety team if they wanted to check if their child seats were fitted correctly.

He said: “Car seats for children are widely available and buying one now could save your child’s life if you are involved in a collision.

“I would encourage everyone to use their seatbelt, after all it is the law, and it is there to protect you from serious damage if you have an accident.

"Over my lengthy career here at the Bradford Royal Infirmary I have seen horrific injuries from car accidents involving children and adults who weren’t wearing restraints. I don’t want to see any more.”

Sue Snoddy, the Council’s casualty reduction and road safety partnership manager, said: “Too many people think that because they are only making a short journey on local roads they don’t need to bother wearing their seatbelt, but the reality is that it is the law and they should be worn on every trip. After all, a seat belt could end up saving your life.”

Comments(27)

angry bradfordian says...
9:07am Wed 15 Aug 12

I see there's no news on whether they were charged with motoring offences for their stupidity......

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Thee Voice of Reason says...
9:08am Wed 15 Aug 12

Urging people to use seatbelts, I was pretty sure that is a law and it isn't optional.

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Bacon Bantam says...
9:27am Wed 15 Aug 12

angry bradfordian wrote:
I see there's no news on whether they were charged with motoring offences for their stupidity......
No doubt the personal injury specialists were contacted though.

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a reasonable sort of chap says...
10:18am Wed 15 Aug 12

Do people really need reminding to comply with the law? After all, it's about 30 years ago since seat belt law was introduced!

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mad matt says...
11:01am Wed 15 Aug 12

Ha! They need to stand in our street when the school run is on. FIVE little kids in one car - NO seatbelts being used, not even by the driver.
That sort of attitude is exactly what need to be tackled - urgently.

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angry bradfordian says...
11:12am Wed 15 Aug 12

mad matt wrote:
Ha! They need to stand in our street when the school run is on. FIVE little kids in one car - NO seatbelts being used, not even by the driver.
That sort of attitude is exactly what need to be tackled - urgently.
It sounds ridiculous to suggest that this should be a matter for social workers. However if you compare the possible consequences of a crash with somebody smacking their child as it doesn't sound so silly.

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Albion. says...
11:17am Wed 15 Aug 12

Realistic penalties might have the desired effect.

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Apollo says...
11:47am Wed 15 Aug 12

Albion. wrote:
Realistic penalties might have the desired effect.
Realistic enforcement activity might also have the desired effect. Unfortunately like so much else in Bradford compliance with the laws of the lands is largely optional in the eyes of some.

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wobbley-bob says...
12:06pm Wed 15 Aug 12

Can we get them to stop using their phones whilst driving without seatbelts too?
Have you noticed the two offences seem to go hand in hand?

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wobbley-bob says...
12:07pm Wed 15 Aug 12

Can we get them to stop using their phones whilst driving without seatbelts too?
Have you noticed the two offences seem to go hand in hand?

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birday says...
12:58pm Wed 15 Aug 12

No one tells the people of Bradford what to do and this is sadly how Mr Shenton's comments will be interpreted by many people in Bradford (at lease those who can and do read) - too many peole too stupid t comply!

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octyvrs says...
2:54pm Wed 15 Aug 12

There's loads of cars charging around Bradford with the occupants not wearing their seatbelts. The same people who carve me up at traffic lights and "give me the finger". They very probably don't have car insurance either. Or car tax, or........

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markjoe says...
3:53pm Wed 15 Aug 12

octyvrs wrote:
There's loads of cars charging around Bradford with the occupants not wearing their seatbelts. The same people who carve me up at traffic lights and "give me the finger". They very probably don't have car insurance either. Or car tax, or........
Its the very same people and its so when they crash, they can run off and claim the car was stolen.

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brian jones says...
4:18pm Wed 15 Aug 12

Leave them to it, I say. It's just modern-day natural selection.

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joeybcfc says...
5:33pm Wed 15 Aug 12

Would I be considered a racist if I said young Asians were the main culprits or is it that i just drive round with a blinkered view.

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Joedavid says...
6:02pm Wed 15 Aug 12

joeybcfc wrote:
Would I be considered a racist if I said young Asians were the main culprits or is it that i just drive round with a blinkered view.
I was thinking could it be a religious thing.

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ollie59 says...
7:05pm Wed 15 Aug 12

octyvrs wrote:
There's loads of cars charging around Bradford with the occupants not wearing their seatbelts. The same people who carve me up at traffic lights and "give me the finger". They very probably don't have car insurance either. Or car tax, or........
....give way at give way junctions. They seem to be optional when I drive through much of Toller

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dont get me started says...
7:21pm Wed 15 Aug 12

Joedavid wrote:
joeybcfc wrote:
Would I be considered a racist if I said young Asians were the main culprits or is it that i just drive round with a blinkered view.
I was thinking could it be a religious thing.
The racist bit is just not called for is it????
I am white and i think it is a personal choice for the seatbelt, hence the reason its just a fine and not pointable.

Whatever happened to peoples rights.

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Joedavid says...
7:41pm Wed 15 Aug 12

dont get me started wrote:
Joedavid wrote:
joeybcfc wrote:
Would I be considered a racist if I said young Asians were the main culprits or is it that i just drive round with a blinkered view.
I was thinking could it be a religious thing.
The racist bit is just not called for is it????
I am white and i think it is a personal choice for the seatbelt, hence the reason its just a fine and not pointable.

Whatever happened to peoples rights.
First I heard that we had the right to pick and choose which laws we were to obey.
Wait a minute you could be right some people in Bradford are but I'm not.

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dont get me started says...
7:47pm Wed 15 Aug 12

Joedavid wrote:
dont get me started wrote:
Joedavid wrote:
joeybcfc wrote:
Would I be considered a racist if I said young Asians were the main culprits or is it that i just drive round with a blinkered view.
I was thinking could it be a religious thing.
The racist bit is just not called for is it????
I am white and i think it is a personal choice for the seatbelt, hence the reason its just a fine and not pointable.

Whatever happened to peoples rights.
First I heard that we had the right to pick and choose which laws we were to obey.
Wait a minute you could be right some people in Bradford are but I'm not.
That is because you are a sheep my friend..and do as you're told whether you agree with it or not..More fool you...

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dont get me started says...
8:10pm Wed 15 Aug 12

dont get me started wrote:
Joedavid wrote:
dont get me started wrote:
Joedavid wrote:
joeybcfc wrote:
Would I be considered a racist if I said young Asians were the main culprits or is it that i just drive round with a blinkered view.
I was thinking could it be a religious thing.
The racist bit is just not called for is it????
I am white and i think it is a personal choice for the seatbelt, hence the reason its just a fine and not pointable.

Whatever happened to peoples rights.
First I heard that we had the right to pick and choose which laws we were to obey.
Wait a minute you could be right some people in Bradford are but I'm not.
That is because you are a sheep my friend..and do as you're told whether you agree with it or not..More fool you...
P.S.
It's also a law not to be racist but that does"nt seem to stop you.. Hypocrite...

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grizza says...
8:27pm Wed 15 Aug 12

a simple fix would be to make cars that wont start without the seat belt clipped in on any chair with someone sat in it that way people would have to have there seat belt on for the car to work

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Albion. says...
8:56pm Wed 15 Aug 12

grizza wrote:
a simple fix would be to make cars that wont start without the seat belt clipped in on any chair with someone sat in it that way people would have to have there seat belt on for the car to work
That has been done before by Volvo.

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BigFigure says...
10:05pm Wed 15 Aug 12

Love the parochial view many posters here seem to have.....get out to other parts of the country and you will see exactly the same (and worse) behaviour on the roads. Crap driving isn't just confined to Bradford,chums

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wobbley-bob says...
9:08am Thu 16 Aug 12

grizza wrote:
a simple fix would be to make cars that wont start without the seat belt clipped in on any chair with someone sat in it that way people would have to have there seat belt on for the car to work
Just pull the belt round the back of the seat, plug it in the catch, sit in seat....start car... yep!, great idea.
Anymore like that & you should go on Dragons Den........I'm oot. :)

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Prisoner Cell Block A says...
1:56pm Thu 16 Aug 12

brian jones wrote:
Leave them to it, I say. It's just modern-day natural selection.
Agreed. Someone not wearing a seat belt crashes into me at high speed wearing a seat belt is more than likely going to have a worse outcome. Similarly their kid stood up between the seats or loose on someone's knee. Hey-ho, not my kid, wang em through your windscreen at 40MPH, I won't feel a thing.

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Prisoner Cell Block A says...
11:04am Fri 17 Aug 12

BigFigure wrote:
Love the parochial view many posters here seem to have.....get out to other parts of the country and you will see exactly the same (and worse) behaviour on the roads. Crap driving isn't just confined to Bradford,chums
Maybe not but there is enough of it and as this paper is generally considered a Bradford and district paper we'll talk about that shall we.

Apologist, yet again.

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