A couple of straps of polyester, and nylon and a metal buckle. The seatbelt has saved thousands of lives since it has became the law in Saskatchewan to wear one 40 year today. When it was first introduced, attitudes were slow to change but gradually, it became more and more common. Stats only go back to 1986, 7 years after the seatbelt law was introduced, but since then, SGI has tracked the number of deaths and injuries related to seatbelt use. 

"In 1986, we saw 111 deaths in Saskatchewan, related to people not wearing their seatbelts," explained Tyler McMurchy of SGI. "In 2016, that number has been reduced to 25." 

"And on the injury front, it's even a more dramatic drop. In 1986, there were 2700 people who were injured as a result of not wearing their seatbelt or not wearing one properly. In 2016, that number is reduced to 155. So what that tells us, is when you wear your seatbelt, you are far less likely to be injured or killed in a motor vehicle accident."

And the law has changed over the years since.

"When it first came in, July 1, 1977, drivers, front seat passengers and children under 16 years of age were required to wear them. Later on, all passengers including children must wear a seatbelt if available, that was four years later in May of 1980. In 1983, there was a rule that came in if there are more passengers than seatbelts, seats with seatbelts must be given to children first. So the law has evolved, and as you've seen the laws improve, you've also seen those fatalities numbers reduced accordingly."

However, the rural areas continue to be lag behind the rest of the province. 

"We know that many accidents happen on those rural roads, grid roads, not on the highways, so there is absolutely no reason not to wear your seatbelt. If you are barreling down a grid road at 80 km an hour, you want to have seatbelt on in case you slide off the road and start to roll."

SGI has a video of a rollover demonstration that shows the effects of not wearing your seatbelt and the consequences of that decision. 

"It shows what happens when you roll a car at 50 km an hour. If you were to put yourself in the place of one of those dummies, you would see very quickly why it's so very important to wear a seatbelt at all times."

"It's a pretty vivid example of what happens when somebody is in a rollover and doesn't wear their seatbelt, which is what you see a lot of the time when you see these fatalities that involve somebody not wearing their seatbelt. Many times it's that single vehicle accidents often times it a rollover, the person gets ejected and if you're getting ejected from a vehicle, there's a very, very good chance you're going to get severely injured or killed."

"There's also a financial incentive to make sure you're buckled up and make sure all the passengers in your vehicle are buckled up as well. The fine for not wearing your seatbelt is $175 plus three points on your safe driver recognition which is a far cry from what it was in 1977 when the law first came in and it was a $20 ticket."

"And we'd like to remind drivers that if you are the driver and there are passengers under the age of 16 in your vehicle, if they are not restrained properly, you will get a ticket for each one that is not. And if you are a passenger, over the age of 16, you will get the ticket if you are not wearing your seatbelt."

Timeline of the Saskatchewan Seatbelt Law:

July 15, 1971: Any vehicle manufactured or imported into Canada must be equipped with seatbelts.

1973 & 1974: Buses and commercial vehicles across Canada fitted with seatbelts for drivers.

July 1, 1977: Drivers, front-seat passengers and children under 16 years of age require seatbelts.

may 9, 1980: All passengers, including children, must wear a seatbelt if available.

Nov 1, 1983: If there are more passengers than seat-belts, seats with seatbelts must be given to children first. Use of child restraints introduced.

Aug 24, 1992: If there is a la belt and torso strap, the torso strap cannot be worn under the arm or behind the back.

March 16, 1993: Taxi drivers, bus drivers and police drivers exempt from wearing seatbelts if they feel their safety may be compromised by passengers.

Oct 1, 2000: Child passengers weighing less than 18 kg. required to use proper child restraints, regardless of who is transporting the child, except in taxis and school buses.

June 27, 2014: Mandatory booster seats for all children under 7 years of age, less than 145 cm (4'9") and 36 kg (80 lbs).

READ MORE: Estevan Family Resource Centre Promotes Car Seat Safety