An increase in drivers and passengers refusing to wear a seatbelt has Bendigo police baffled.
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Bendigo Highway Patrol Senior Sergeant Ian Brooks said of the 14 fatal crashes that have happened in the Bendigo division this year, there were three where not wearing a seatbelt was a contributing or main factor in someone dying.
He said it was confusing and frustrating people would not use the simplest safety measure in a car.
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"It's frustrating because we know they save lives and prevent injuries," he said. "It confuses us as to why there would be an increase in people not wearing seatbelts."
"We are seeing people clipping their seatbelt behind their back to shut the car up. Why would you take one of the major safety features in a car and throw it out the window?
"It is happening all over Victoria and Australia and there doesn't seem to be a rational explanation for it.
Senior Sergeant Brooks' comments came as the Transport Accident Commission released the results of their 2021 Road Safety Monitor Report.
The report surveyed more than 2500 Victorians on their attitudes to road safety.
Survey results showed 97 per cent of people who completed the survey wore a seatbelt all the time while driving or as a passenger.
Worryingly, 95 per cent of respondents aged between 18 and 25 said they were less likely to wear a seatbelt all the time when travelling as a passenger than older respondents (98 per cent).
This year's results also showed the highest incidence of self reported intentional speeding since 2016 with 42 per cent of respondents admitting to it in 60km/h zones (up from 39 per cent) while 45 per cent of people deliberately sped in 100km/h zones.
Survey participants said they viewed speeding as less dangerous than other high-risk driving behaviours such as drink driving and driving while using a mobile device.
Roads and road safety minister Ben Carroll said it was concerning to see so many lives lost on roads.
"We know the majority of Victorians do the right thing, but it is unacceptable that there are still a small number of people who willingly put themselves and others at risk," he said.
"We can't sit by and accept it. We are pleading with anyone thinking of partaking in risk-taking behaviour to heed the warning and slow down."
Speed contributes to 30 per cent of road deaths in Victorian and 25 per cent of serious road injuries.
"It's the most irresponsible result because people know they are speeding and they are doing it on purpose," Senior Sergeant Brooks said.
"One of the things we know from other surveys is that people rely on the safety systems in their cars that are fitted with things like air bags and auto breaking systems. They are supplementary systems."
Other key findings in the survey showed an increase in people driving while drowsy but a decrease of eight per cent in people illegally using their phone while driving with 29 per cent saying they had done so.
Sadly, 147 people have died on Victoria's roads this year compared to 130 at the same time last year.
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