Citation

Andreasson R. J. Traffic Med. 1977; 5(1): 21-23.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1977, International Association for Accident and Traffic Medicine)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The population of Sweden is approximately 8 M, and the number of passenger cars registered in Sweden is about 2.5 M. Swedish legislation mandating drivers and front-seat passengers use of seat belts came into force on 1 January 1975. This paper is concerned with the basis for the legislation, and also with medical bases for exemptions from the law in accordance with medical regulations issued by the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare. The author discusses the implications of the regulations, first regulation dated 1 January 1975, and the procedure for issuance of a certificate of medical exemption, which under the first regulation could only be granted for physical reasons. It is considered that some 1000 physical-exemption certificates were issued in the first six months. A second regulation, July 1975, authorized exemption on mental grounds as well, and required copies of all doctors' certificates pertaining to both physical and mental handicaps to be sent to the county medical officer. From July 1975 to September 1976, 189 certificates were issued; 146 for physical reasons, 30 for psychiatric reasons, and 5 for combined physical and psychiatric reasons. Eight cases were never followed through. It is suggested that the hope that medical exemptions from the obligation to use the seat belt would be few has been completely fulfilled. One reason for this is considered to be that the opportunities for granting legal exemption are extremely limited; another is that the Swedish medical profession has accepted the protective effect of the seat belt and is most reluctant to grant exemptions from its mandatory use. /TRRL/

Language: en

Keywords

Conference; Driver; Drivers; Legal factors; Manual safety belts; Sweden; Enforcement (law); Persons with disabilities; Legislation; Vehicle occupants; Diseases and medical conditions; Medical examinations and tests; Use; Medical examination; Mental illness; Physical disabilities; Disabled person; Exemption; Front; Medical aspects; Medical disability; Safety belt; Vehicle occupant