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In 1982, it became compulsory to wear a seatbelt in the front seats and in 1991 the law was amended to require adults to wear seatbelts in the back of a car.

TV and radio advertising in 1993 and 1994 helped to improve wearing rates but still less than half of rear seat passengers complied.

Research in 1998 showed that about 160 lives could be saved if they wore a seatbelt. Children from the age of 14 are not as likely to wear seatbelts as younger children.