It's an everywhere thing. Before seatbelts were compulsory in the UK, people used not to wear them there either. You'd have to talk to somebody who was an adult at the time - probably not many of those round here - to get the definitive answer, but I distinctly remember being confused by adults often failing to put their seatbelts on, even for quite some time after seatbelts became compulsory.
Yes thats true. I think the warnings in cars have gradually changed this and there are few holdouts now. (I didnt realize it was only 1983 they were made compulsory, so I was 14 then)
