The main value of safety belts lies in the possibility of reducing human injuries and suffering that could result if they are worn by drivers and passengers who would wear them continuously. However, it is of importance to assess-as far as possible-the economic benefits to the community that result from the reduced risk of injury while wearing a safety belt. The paper analyses the annual number of casualties to car drivers and passengers and deduces, based on certain assumptions, the likely reductions in casualties had all car occupants been wearing safety belts. It then associates a money value with those casualties saved and, by distributing the reduction over the population at risk obtains an economic saving per safety belt wearing car occupant.
Abstract