I have no particular knowledge of this topic but from this 1998 BBC article http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/128684.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/128684.stm :

I have no particular knowledge of this topic but from this 1998 BBC article http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/128684.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/128684.stm : > It is estimated that if all rear seat belts were worn, 120 deaths and > 1,000 serious injuries could be prevented each year. Back seat > passengers are three times more likely to die in an accident if they > are not strapped in, according to the AA. > > The organisation says each year more than 50 people in the front seats > of cars are killed after being hit by back seat passengers who were > not wearing seatbelts. edit This 2018 article from the RAC also says it's real: https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/news/motoring-news/drivers-warned-of-seat-belt-dangers/ https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/news/motoring-news/drivers-warne...