Men are less likely to buckle up, OPP study finds

By Megan Pounder

BELLEVILLE – Men are far less likely to wear a seatbelt than women, a close look at seatbelt-related deaths on OPP-patrolled roads suggests.

Between 2011 and 2015, there were 332 seatbelt-related deaths on those roads. According to OPP data, 261 of the victims were men and only 71 were women.

The OPP is gearing up for a spring seatbelt campaign over the Easter weekend.

Why is the number of men killed by not wearing seatbelts almost four times that of women?

In a press release, OPP Commissioner Vince Hawkes said police data show a “strong presence of male passengers who believe that they are at a lower risk of being involved in a collision … and who do not see the need to wear a seatbelt.”

Police are reminding drivers and passengers that if they fail to wear a seatbelt, they are at greater risk of injury or death in a collision that may be caused by the irresponsible actions of a distracted, impaired or aggressive driver.