Japanese researchers find that the majority of deaths of front-seat car passengers could be prevented if those in the back used seat belts.

We already know that using a rear seat belt reduces death and severe injury in a car crash among those wearing one. What's not been clear is the effect that belting up at the back has on passengers in the front of the car.

A team at the University of Tokyo analysed around 100,000 crashes occurring in a five year period, all of which involved at least two passengers in the back. The risk of death of belted front-seat passengers was increased five times if there was someone in the back not wearing their seat belt. The researchers think that if these rear-seat passengers had belted up, 80 per cent of the deaths could have been prevented. The message is clear - belt up in the back, as well as the front, if you want to save a life.

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Lancet January 5 2002