WESTLOCK - Although it’s been 36 years since it became mandatory to wear a seatbelt in Alberta and the current fine for not wearing one sits at $162, RCMP ticketed 3,993 motorists provincewide for seatbelt-related offences in 2022.
And Alberta RCMP Traffic-Westlock Sgt. Leigh Drinkwater, whose unit patrols the highways in and around Westlock, Barrhead, Wabasca and Slave Lake, says he’s heard it all from motorists as to why they don’t buckle up.
“Lap and shoulder belts have been in vehicles for well over 50 years and mandatory in some parts of Canada since the 1970s and we still find people who just won’t wear them. It can be young men, older women … there’s no one particular group in society that doesn’t wear them predominantly, it's right across the board,” he said in a March 2 interview.
“I’ve had people tell me that they have a letter from their doctor saying they’re not required to wear a seatbelt. And although there’s a caveat in the Traffic Safety Act for it, in my 18 years of policing, I’ve never had such a letter presented to me.”
Seatbelts are in focus for the month of March as part of the Alberta Traffic Safety Calendar and RCMP are reminding motorists that using safety restraints while driving “can be the difference between life and death in the event of a motor vehicle collision.”
Simply, Drinkwater said that “seatbelts save lives.”
“In conjunction with all the other safety features, like side-curtain and front airbags, seatbelts are just one more piece of equipment that will hopefully save your life or reduce the level of injuries should you be in a crash,” he said.
RCMP note that motorists are responsible for ensuring both themselves and passengers under the age of 16 are using proper occupant restraints, while Drinkwater said that learner and probationary (GDL) drivers must not have more passengers than there are seatbelts and face two demerit points if caught.
Simple tips offered by the RCMP include ensuring the lap belt is positioned low across your hips, while the shoulder belt should always sit across the centre of your chest. And never allow the seatbelt to become twisted.
“We still see people who take the shoulder belt and put it under their arm because they say it’s uncomfortable. I’ve seen serious injuries caused by not wearing a seatbelt properly that could have been avoided if they had just been wearing it the right way,” said Drinkwater.
And seatbelts aren’t just for motor vehicles as RCMP advise to always use the restraints provided in off-road and recreational vehicles.
“Fastening your seatbelt should be the first thing you do when you get into a vehicle. Make it a habit,” said Insp. Chris Romanchych, Alberta RCMP Traffic, in a release. “Why take the chance when it’s your life and even someone else’s on the line?”
