‘Free Safety Belts For All’

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31116, 20 July 1966, Page 3

‘Free Safety Belts For All’

(N.Z. Press Association* AUCKLAND, July 19. Suggestions that the Government should issue free seat belts for nearly five million seats in New Zealand cars to reduce the annual road toll by over 60 per cent were made today at a meeting of the Auckland Metropolitan Road Safety Council.

tn a letter to the council, Mr C. B. Anderson maintained that for an outlay of £l5 million the Government could reduce casualties by 11,000 and cut accident costs by £9 million every year. Mr Anderson, who had been invited to outline his plans at the council's last annual general meet-

ing, said that finance could be deducted from public works, social security, health and roads board budgets. By saving in hospital costs, productivity and social security benefits, he thought that the money could be recovered in less than three years. His figures were based on research from the

United States. Canada and Germany, which stated that 80 per cent of the deaths and 83 per cent of the casualties could have been avoided if car occupants had worn safety belts. The council agreed to receive the letter for closer study of the statistics before referring it to (he national council.