A woman was left paralysed after not wearing a seatbelt and being thrown from a car in a horror incident. 

When Laura Torrance was 16, she was a passenger travelling with a group of friends in East Kilbride in 1999.

One of the group was a newly qualified driver and had suggested meeting up for a drive after school.

After taking a corner too fast at 40mph, the vehicle crashed into a field.

None of the group wore seatbelts including Laura, who was thrown from the car and suffered severe injuries to her spine. 

 

Following her suffering of life-changing injuries, Laura, now 41, has shared her story to warn people of the potentially horrific consequences of not wearing a seatbelt.

She said that she spent months in rehabilitation having to 're-learn' her body, adding: "It was like being a baby again."

She said: "Everything completely changed at sixteen years old. Lost the use of my legs, had to re-learn my body all over again.

"Massive impact, not just on me, but my family. It turned our lives upside down.

"For me, this is the wake-up call."

In a report of road traffic fatalities across Scotland over five years, 21% of people who died were not wearing a seatbelt. 

Police Scotland's Management of Information data for April 2023 to March 2024 shows that 2,234 people were reported for seatbelt offences during this time.

As part of the ongoing seatbelt campaign, officers will be monitoring roads to identify those not wearing seatbelts and take appropriate action to prevent serious or fatal injuries.

Chief Superintendent Hilary Sloan, head of road policing, said: “I am extremely grateful to Laura and David for sharing their stories and highlighting the importance of using a seatbelt. I have had the opportunity to hear their accounts first-hand, which are impactful and harrowing.

“Whether you are the driver or a passenger, the potential for serious, life-changing, or even fatal injuries in the event of a collision are significant and can drastically change the course of your life.

“Police Scotland is committed to improving road safety across the country and the public have a vital role to play by ensuring they always wear seatbelts whenever they are travelling within a vehicle. If you are the driver, then please make sure you check that all of your passengers have fastened their seatbelts before setting off on your journey.

“We will continue to monitor our road network to identify those driving or travelling without wearing a seatbelt and take appropriate education or enforcement action where required.”