Here is the pre-watershed version:

Road Safety Minister Paul Clark said, “If you are involved in an accident while not wearing a seat belt then your body experiences a series of three collisions damaging vital internal organs.  This campaign reminds drivers that – no matter how short their journey or how slowly they are driving – they are risking their life if they set off without putting their seat belt on.

“I hope this campaign will help everyone realise that they need to belt up every time they get in a car.”

With recent research showing that drivers are less likely to belt up on low speed, short journeys on familiar roads, the £1.3 million THINK! Campaign hopes to show that drivers are still risking their lives.  Drivers are twice as likely to die in a crash if they do not wear a seat belt and if everyone belted up, one life a day could be saved.

The full advert can only be aired after 9pm due to its graphic content.

Photo: Ford

Car manufacturer Ford is introducing innovative new seatbelts that inflate like airbags to give extra protection to passengers in the event of a collision.

Ford is fitting the back seats of vehicles with belts that inflate automatically during a crash.

Ford will be fitting the new seatbelts into the new Ford Explorer 4 x 4 which goes into production in 2010.  Experts say the new technology will be particularly effective at preventing broken ribs, internal damage and bruising.

Inflating over the shoulder and torso in a mere 40 milliseconds, a cylindrical airbag stretches from the buckle to the shoulder and fits inside a pocket in the belt.

Sensors calculate the severity of a crash impact and inflate the belts with compressed gas, stored below the seat.  The airbag breaks through the fabric of the belt and spreads the force of the impact over an area five times larger than a traditional belt.  The seatbelt helps to keep the passenger in the safest seating position and reduces pressure on the chest as well as controlling head and neck movement.

Vice-president of safety engineering at Ford, Sue Cischke said, ‘Ford’s rear inflatable seatbelt technology will enhance safety for rear seat passengers of all ages, especially for young children who are more vulnerable in crashes.’

The inflatable belts work like conventional seatbelts and are safe for everyday use along with a child seat or booster seat.

In testing, more than 90 per cent of people said they were similar to or more comfortable than traditional belts.