The statistics don't lie.
Eleven of 24 road fatalities in Northland this year have a common factor - those who died were not wearing a seatbelt.
And road safety officials say if those 11 people had taken just a few seconds to put on a seatbelt they could still be alive.
The numbers are frustrating for those trying to make the roads safer and a tragedy for loved ones left behind.
On Wednesday a Northland man was flown to Auckland in a critical condition after his car hit a power pole.
He wasn't wearing a seatbelt and suffered a serious head injury.
He died on Thursday.
Dargaville Constable Ewen Cumming said it appeared the car failed to take a moderate bend, crossed the centre line, went into a drain and then hit a power pole on SH12 near Kaihu.
It was raining at the time of the crash.
The Northland Rescue Helicopter landed at the local rugby ground where St John staff had stabilised the man in an ambulance. Cumming said the man - the only person in the car - was flown to Auckland City Hospital.
The tragic death took the road toll to 24 from 22 crashes. Police have not yet released the man's name.
Last year there were a total of 23 road deaths in the region.
Currently in New Zealand the penalty for not wearing a seatbelt is $150 for drivers and all passengers over 15.
Any driver found with passengers under 15 who are not restrained is also eligible for the fine.
But ultimately not wearing a seatbelt can cost far more than just a fine - it can cost a life.
Northland road policing boss Inspector Wayne Ewers said despite a huge effort through media and by police out on the roads the message had not sunk in.
"It's terrible when you think there is a strong possibility in most of those 11 cases, most of them would be alive if they had clicked their belt in."
While driving to work yesterday Mr Ewers witnessed a mother who had dropped her children off to school and had failed to put her seatbelt on.
"They think just because they are only going a couple of kilometres away from home it doesn't matter. Put your seatbelt on before you start the car, it will safe your life, it's as simple as that," Mr Ewers said.
"I'm frustrated over it. I don't want to see people dying. I don't want my staff to have to pick up body parts and then have to give the bad news to families."
In the past five years, more than 300 people who died in New Zealand crashes were not wearing their seatbelt. Most of those deaths were in 2016.
The Ministry of Transport estimates that the social cost of a fatal crash is $4,729,000.
Each serious crash bears a social cost of $912,000 and every minor crash reported racks up $99,000.
Globally, the use of restraints is one of the top five areas being targeted by the United Nations Decade of Road Safety ending 2021.