Sixty-two seat belt offences detected on the county’s road during national campaign

Northamptonshire Police joined policing colleagues from across the UK to support the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s (NPCC) annual national seat belt campaign.

Officers from across the Force took part in the NPCC three-week operation in June, aimed at raising awareness of the dangers of not wearing a seat belt whilst driving or as a passenger.

Not wearing a seat belt can increase your chances of being killed or seriously injured in a collision and is one of the fatal four driving offences alongside drink and drug driving, speeding, and using a mobile phone whilst behind the wheel.

The first week focused on educating motorists on the consequences of not wearing a seat belt and was followed by a further two weeks of enforcement during which 62 offences were detected.

In total, 60 drivers and one child passenger (aged 3-13) were found not to be wearing a seat belt, whilst the other offence related to an appropriate car seat not being fitted for a passenger under the age of 12 or 150m tall.

Northamptonshire Police’s Safer Roads Team Manager Matthew O’Connell said: “Reducing the number of people who are killed or seriously injured on our roads is a priority for the Force and our Northamptonshire Safer Roads Alliance partners.

“Most people automatically put their seat belt on without thinking however, sadly there’s still some drivers who can’t spend five seconds making sure everyone in their vehicle is properly strapped in.

“One death or serious injury on our roads is one too many - and so it’s extremely disappointing to still find people choosing to put their lives at risk by not belting up or wearing their seat belts incorrectly.

“Wearing a seat belt in a vehicle is such a basic piece of road safety advice and could be the difference between life and death in a road collision – why would you not choose to wear one?

“Although this campaign may have finished, we will continue to proactively police the county’s roads to educate drivers and passengers on road safety and enforce the seat belt legislation.”

Anyone caught not wearing a seat belt can take an online education course or receive a fixed penalty fine of £100. If they elect to go to court, the fine increases to a maximum £500.