New Penalties For Motorists Not Wearing Seatbelts

Drivers caught without a seatbelt face on-the-spot fines of £60 in a major road safety crackdown launched by the government today.

Those who display illegal number plates, will also targeted, and forced to pay an increase of £60, from £30.

The increase follows a public consultation seeking views on how to tackle the failure of many motorists to comply with seatbelt laws, despite repeated warnings they are risking serious injury or death to themselves and others.

Whilst educational campaigns and publicity have made considerable differences in behaviour, some motorists and passengers are still ignoring the fact that seat belts reduce the risk of being killed in a 30mph car crash by 60%.

The increase in fixed penalty also covers misrepresentation of vehicle registrations marks. The use of illegal number plates can have a significant impact on criminal investigations and crime detection.

"The vast majority of motorists wear seatbelts but we need to go further to make it clear to those who do not obey the rules that they are not only risking their lives but others too," Home Office Minister Alan Campbell said.

"By increasing the fixed penalty, we are sending a clear message to motorists that we will crack down on them if they are caught failing to take this vital safety precaution.

"This is not about taking money from motorists, it's about doing all we can to keep the public safe on our roads."

Road Safety Minister Paul Clark added: "Every day someone dies because they do not think they always need to use a seat belt. This tragic waste could be avoided if everyone took the simple step of belting up every time they got in a car."

He went on to praise the "hard-hitting campaigns" adding he was "confident that these campaigns, along with the increased fixed penalty for not using a seatbelt, will mean that fewer people are needlessly killed on our roads".

(JM/BMcC)