Here are 10 reasons Singaporeans give for not strapping on their seat belts. The Sunday Times debunks them with the help of National Safety Council president Tan Jin Thong and studies done on the subject.

"I wear the seat belt when I'm driving.

But if I'm sitting in the back seat, I don't see the need to since the front seat will block me from flying out of the car."

MR BRANDON NG, 27, analyst

Mr Tan: In an accident, you don't only get thrown forward. You could hit the sides, too. If the car overturns, you could be tossed around and any injury could be fatal.

Fact: A 2004 study by the University of Buffalo in the United States showed that when a car is in a head-on collision, the back-seat passenger becomes a "bullet", shooting from his seat and slamming into the back of the driver or other passengers. This significantly increases the driver's risk of dying. If 95 per cent of back-seat passengers wore seat belts, more than 800 lives would be saved in the US a year.

"It's extremely uncomfortable to have a seat belt strapped around you because it cuts into your body and you can't move freely. For long journeys, it's even more unbearable."

MR JOSEPH NEO, 38, tuition teacher

Mr Tan: People don't buckle up for the sake of convenience and comfort. Is it worth risking your life for?

Fact: The Michigan State Police in the US said on its website that most people who complain that seat belts are uncomfortable are simply not used to wearing them. It added that the serious discomfort of a car crash in no way compares to the discomfort of wearing a seat belt.

Car seat belts are adjustable, so make sure you are wearing them right.

"My family members don't wear seat belts most of the time. It's something that wasn't enforced since I was young, so I've got used to not wearing one."

MS TAN XIAO QIN, 23, student

Fact: In 2006, 49 people were caught by the Traffic Police here for not buckling up their child in proper child restraints, up from 23 cases in 2005.

The Traffic Police said that an unsecured 7kg baby travelling at 50kmh could be violently flung against the dashboard or crash through the windscreen in a collision.

American studies show that parents have strong "training effects" over their children. If parents want their children to wear seat belts, they should practise what they preach.

"My friends don't buckle up and whenever I do, especially in the back seat, they laugh at me. Over time, I just stopped buckling up."

MS EILEEN YONG, 28, public relations executive

Fact: Many accident victims in Singapore are under the age of 30. In 2006, one in five of the 250 drivers injured in accidents, and one in three of the 29 killed, was under 30.

American data shows that youth, especially males aged between 16 and 25, are the least likely to buckle up. They simply do not believe they will be injured or killed. Yet they make up the nation's highest-risk drivers, with more drink-driving and speeding than other age groups.

"If I do get into an accident, I think the seat belt would hold me back and prevent me from climbing out of the car.
The last thing I want is to be trapped."

MADAM S. L. CHONG, 58, housewife

Mr Tan: Buckles are made to open on one push. If you're unconscious, people can unbuckle you. Chances of survival are higher for those who buckle up than those flung out of the car.

Fact: Research shows that seat belts that are properly worn seldom cause injuries. If they do, injuries are usually superficial bruises.

Also, when your car's airbags are activated in an accident, seat belts keep you in the right position to be cushioned, and not hurt, by the airbag. If you are too near the airbag when it is activated, you could be hurt.

"My sister is a safe driver and I trust her. So I don't buckle up when she's driving the car."

MISS NURDIANNA MALIK, 25, teacher

Mr Tan: Your loved one could be a careful driver but other drivers could be speeding. You can't control other people's driving attitudes.

Fact: In Singapore, drink-driving arrests increased from 3,733 cases in 2006 to 4,009 cases last year.

"Singapore roads are pretty safe. There are no dangerous bends or winding roads at the edge of cliffs. It's not that risky to not wear seat belts."

MR STEVEN TAN, 45, sales manager

Mr Tan: Accidents can happen on straight or curved roads. You could speed on a straight road and lose control of the steering wheel. The North-South Highway in Malaysia is very straight but accidents still happen.

Fact: Singapore has one of the worst road fatalities record among developed countries. In 2005, there were 6,706 accidents and injuries - of which 173 people died. In 2006, this rose to 7,499 incidents, and 190 deaths. Last year, it went up again - to 8,323 accidents, with 219 killed.

"I usually don't buckle up when I'm travelling short distances and on small roads. It's not as dangerous as on the expressways."

MADAM EVELYN LIM, 40, housewife

Fact: American studies show that most crash deaths occur within 40km of a driver's home and at speeds of less than 64kmh. This should drive home the point that everyday driving to nearby spots can also pose a danger.

"I've been driving for more than 30 years and I've never been in an accident before. I'm a pretty good driver so seat belts are not necessary for me."

MR MOHAMAD ALI, 55, retiree

Mr Tan: You may be a good and careful driver, but the person driving behind you may not be. New or reckless drivers may not know how to react in an emergency situation - and may endanger your life.

"Seat belts crease my clothes, especially the cotton work shirts which I tediously iron every morning."

MR T. CHAN, 26, retail executive

Well, what can we say?

This article was first published in The Sunday Times on May 4, 2008.