Car insurance customers are being reminded of the potentially fatal consequences of not wearing a seatbelt in a graphic new advertising campaign.

Launching the £1.3 million THINK! initiative, road safety minister Paul Clark explained that passengers or drivers who experience an accident while not wearing a seatbelt actually go through three crashes, in effect. The phenomenon occurs even at everyday speeds like 30mph, he noted.

"First, your car crashes and stops. Second – because there's nothing to stop you moving – your body carries on and hits the inside of the car," he observed. "Third, you stop but your internal organs keep moving – hitting the inside of your body – and can rupture under the force of the impact."

According to research unveiled in time for the campaign, one life could be saved in Britain each day if everyone wore a belt for journeys, regardless of their length. It's been proven, however, that people are less likely to wear seatbelts on low-speed or short trips and journeys on familiar roads.

Experts have also noted that the effectiveness of vehicle safety features is based on the assumption that everyone inside is wearing a belt, otherwise they are of little benefit.

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