New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) has set out to shift the perception of seat belts from an optional accessory to a life-saving necessity by using images of real-life crash survivors in its new campaign.

NZTA put a call out for real Kiwi men with their own stories of survival, thanks to a seat belt. Hundreds responded, and ten were chosen to step in front of the camera to have their real injuries recreated and their stories shared.

The men’s injuries vary, but all ten are united by the mark of their seat belt: a short-term physical bruise, or sometimes scar, that has had a long-lasting impact on their lives. A physical reminder that they made the right call to wear a seat belt and survived because of it.

The survivors provided personal photos taken in the days after their crashes to help ensure the injuries were recreated as accurately as possible. The special effects make-up team worked closely with Dr. Natasha McKay, an Emergency Medicine Specialist who lent her expertise to the campaign.

“A seat belt really does leave a mark like this,” she said. “They will save your life, but they will leave a mark to show how they’ve done it.”

The images are displayed on billboards near carparks of bars and pubs in towns around NZ, in particular, in the areas where the featured survivors live.

Visit https://beltedsurvivors.nz/ for more information on the campaign.