Crash test simulator and shock tactics used to persuade Czechs to belt up

The Czech Republic has one of the worst road death and injury records in Europe. One problem is that many people don't bother wearing their seatbelts, especially in built-up areas, unaware of the terrible injuries and even death that this can cause. To tackle the problem a high-profile safety campaign is underway, including, among other things, taking a crash test simulator around the country and inviting people to feel for themselves the impact of a crash. Radio Prague's Rob Cameron went along and tried it.

I've come to the outskirts of Prague to a huge hypermarket, and here the simulator is on display. With me is Miroslav Firt, he's from one of the country's largest motoring clubs, the UAMK. And your organisation is responsible for taking this simulator around the country. Miroslav, tell me first of all exactly what this is in front of us.

"OK. This is a carriage with two seats, which is supposed to simulate the inside of a passenger car. It sits on a slope, and the carriage goes down with a speed of 12 kilometres per hour, which is simulating 30 kilometres per hour impact when it stops down at the lower end and hits the obstacle at the end of the slope."

Right. Does it hurt?

"Well, it doesn't...you should try! it doesn't hurt but you can feel how strong the impact is, and you will immediately appreciate that having put on the seatbelt was a very good thing to do because without the seatbelt I'm sure you would not be able to get out of the impact without some injury, of your arms probably, holding the steering wheel for example."

Well there's nothing else for it I'm afraid. I'm going to have to try it aren't I?

"OK, go ahead!"

Right, I should sit in the front...OK, I'm going to sit down. And of course, put the seatbelt on, very important. Thank you...Here we go! Wow....Thank you very much. Er...I don't think I'll have another go, that'll do just fine Miroslav, thank you.

"What was the impression?"

Yes, that was er....I'm still shaking a bit actually, that was quite a hard impact.

"We have the experience that people who've tried it, who went down, most of them were saying 'OK now I know exactly what I'm going to do any time I'm entering the car. I will always put on the seatbelt.'"

But the crash test simulator is not the only method being used to persuade people to belt up. A shocking TV ad has been launched to drive home the dangers of not wearing your seatbelt. It shows a man taking the fateful decision of ignoring a "fasten seatbelt" warning sound, and it doesn't make comfortable viewing. The ad was produced by the Transport Ministry's road safety department. The head of the department, Robert Stastny, is optmistic that Czech driving habits can be changed:

"When we combine this information awareness activity with enforcement activity and it will be well-co-ordinated, I'm optimistic. For example in Britain it took about 15 years for it to work. We are in a different situation, so I think people see that abroad it's something normal, everybody abroad uses it, so if we're successful at persuading people I think in several years we will be at the same level as the best countries."