There is some sobering data coming out of the Manitoba RCMP.

A review of fatal collisions in the province shows 33 out of 64 motor-vehicle collision deaths were caused by a lack of seatbelt use. Sgt. Paul Manaigre says that adds up to 52

Neither driver was wearing a seatbelt in a fatal two-truck crash on PTH 75 this summer. File submitted photopercent of crash-related deaths between January 1, 2017, and November 2, 2017.

"When you look at it, thirty-three out of sixty-four fatalities could have been prevented by somebody wearing a seatbelt," he added.

Manaigre noted that typically lack of seatbelt use contributes to about 25 to 30 deaths per year and he is quite concerned that that number is already at 33 with two months left to go in 2017.
    
He said it's difficult to determine the reasons why motorists aren't wearing their seatbelts.

"But I'm sure it comes down to the habitual offenders that aren't wearing it...could be the excuse of that they're not going far or travelling at high speed."

Meantime, Manaigre said most of these deaths occurred because the occupant was ejected from the vehicle during a collision.

"If you look at vehicles, the way they are made today, you can see that they are made to absorb a collision and the occupant is ideally going to be the safest by remaining the vehicle," he explained. "When you're travelling at higher speeds, or with the vehicle flipping, the centrifugal force is so high that if you're not belted you're going to be ejected from that vehicle."

He is reminding the public to always wear their seatbelts, no matter the speed limit or distance travelled.