ALMOST one in four people killed on Queensland roads in the past decade while travelling inside a car were not wearing a seatbelt.
The statistics have been released by the Main Roads and Transport Department in time for Road Safety Week, which finishes on Friday.
Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said the figures were shocking.
Of the about 1000 car occupants killed since 2008 across the state, more than 210 were unrestrained during impact.
“It almost beggars belief that, decades after the seatbelt safety message was first promoted far and wide around Australia, people still fail or forget to make the simple, life-saving choice to buckle up,” he said.
“In the event of a crash, wearing your seatbelt reduces your risk of fatal or serious injury by 50 per cent.”
While the problem is Queensland wide, it is more prevalent in regional areas such as Mount Isa, the south west and far north, Townsville, Capricornia and Mackay.
About 13,000 seatbelt infringement notices are issued by police across Queensland every year on average, with 65,000 handed out throughout the five years between 2013 and 2017.
A Main Roads and Transport Department spokesperson said more than half of the infringement notices were issued to drivers.
The penalty for not wearing a seatbelt is three demerit points and a fine of $391 for unrestrained car occupants aged 16 years and older.
This year, 171 people have been killed on Queensland roads up until August 26, which is 15 more than in the same period last year.
For more information about crash data, visit here.
