Bermuda's speed limits are no argument for not buckling up, a road safety chief has declared.

Road Safety Council chairman Joseph Froncioni said there were many examples of slow drivers being hurt needlessly in accidents because they had not worn a seat belt.

And he highlighted the case of a friend and physician who was badly injured after slowly rounding a corner in a parking lot and crashing head-on into another car.

The man suffered a head trauma and knee injury which kept him out of work.

Dr. Froncioni's comments come as Bermuda's drivers ready for January 1 ? the date when seat belt laws come into effect.

They also follow a recent accident in Happy Valley Road, Pembroke, involving a 46-year-old woman not wearing a seat belt.

The woman lost control of her car and crashed into a wall. According to the Bermuda Fire Service, the road was slick and slippery, causing the wheels to slide.

The woman suffered head injuries and complained of chest problems after she struck the steering wheel.

Dr. Froncioni said he could not comment on the case. But he added: "I always go through this imaginary scenario when I talk on this subject and I tell people to imagine standing up with their hands bound behind their back, wearing a blind fold, and walking.

"Your hands are bound as they would be in a car because crashes are involuntary and you don't have the protection of your hands. Without the protection of your hands if you walk into a wall you're likely to break your nose and lose a couple of teeth and even more seriously receive a concussion."

He added: "It takes only a minor lifestyle change for people to buckle up and it becomes as common as zipping your zipper or tying your tie."

Dr. Froncioni said crash victims with reconstructed faces became completely different persons.

Director of Transport Control Department Kevin Monkman said many people testified that they had been saved from extensive injury or even death because they were wearing a seat belt.

"I've heard from people who were wearing seat belts and they came away from an accident with little or no injuries."

Mr. Monkman pointed to an accident in May on Harbour Road that resulted in the car nearly landing in Hamilton Harbour. The woman driver who was wearing a seat belt walked away with only minor injuries. A witness said the woman would have gone through the windscreen if she had not buckled up.