A two-week long enforcement campaign begins today as Norfolk Police target drivers and passengers who choose not to belt up.
Officers from Norfolk and Suffolk’s Roads Armed Policing Team, the Commercial Vehicle Unit and Road Collision Reduction Team will be carrying out increased checks across both counties throughout the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) campaign, which ends on 25th June 2023.
This type of offence has been identified as one of the main causes for those who die on our roads. In a collision, you are twice as likely to die if you do not wear a seatbelt. It is commonly referred to as one of the ‘fatal four’ which roads policing teams work to reduce on a daily basis.
In 2021, 30% of UK car occupant fatalities were not wearing a seatbelt. Despite continued awareness and enforcement campaigns, people still choose to not wear a seatbelt and risk their lives. In the last 6 years, the proportion of car occupants killed who were not wearing a seatbelt has remained consistently above 20%. Those aged 17-35 have the lowest seatbelt wearing rates.
This campaign runs in conjunction with Child Safety Week (5th -11th June). Child Accident Prevention Trust’s annual event aims to raise awareness of the risks of child accidents and how they can be prevented.
Chief Inspector, Jonathan Chapman of the Roads Armed Policing Team said: “We all understand the importance of wearing a seatbelt but there are still a number of people who choose to break the law and risk their lives.
“It takes seconds to belt up. There is no reason why you shouldn’t be wearing one.
“Officers will be using the campaign as an opportunity to educate the public about seatbelt use and how to best protect themselves from being involved in a serious collision.”
Norfolk’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Giles Orpen-Smellie, said: “Given that not wearing a seat belt, at the moment of impact, is one of the so-called ‘fatal four’ causes of deaths and serious injuries in road traffic accidents, it is astonishing that some people, especially younger drivers, choose not to wear seat belts when driving. This creates an unnecessary risk of death and serious injury that would hurt not just the driver but also other road users, their families and loved ones.
“As part of my Police, Crime and Community Safety Plan, I want to encourage any initiatives that effectively support road users to be safer on our roads. Please buckle up!”
Drivers and passengers caught without a seat belt face on-the-spot fines of £100. If prosecuted, the maximum fine is £500. Drivers are also responsible for ensuring each child passenger aged up to age 14 wears a seat belt and could be fined for each child without a seat belt.
