96 Fix Penalty Notices (FPNs) have been issued by Wiltshire Police as part of a national crackdown on wearing seatbelts.
The three-week campaign from 24th May to the 13th June, led by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) aimed to keep road users safe by increasing awareness of the importance of wearing a seatbelt in a vehicle, as this will help reduce the numbers of people killed or seriously injured on our roads.
Inspector Mark Freeman, who leads Wiltshire Police’s Roads Policing Unit, said: “The NPCC seatbelt campaign continues to be an important reminder to motorists that seatbelts are there to keep you and your passengers safe.
“Nationally around 1 in 4 fatalities is caused by people not wearing a seatbelt. If you are involved in a collision whilst not wearing a seatbelt you are more likely to be seriously injured or even killed.
“Wearing a Seatbelt has been law since 1983, so if the vehicle has been fitted with a seatbelt there is no excuse not to wear it.
“If our campaign makes just one driver stop and think – we could have saved a life and this would be worth all the effort.”
Failure to wear a seatbelt whilst travelling in a vehicle can result in a fine of up to £500.
When travelling in a vehicle with children under the age of 14 the driver is responsible for making sure the children are using the appropriate restraint for their age and height. Passengers over the age of 14 are responsible for themselves.
The NPCC Seatbelt campaign is one of several road safety campaigns supported by the Force alongside the ongoing enforcement action carried out by the Roads Policing Unit, Community Policing Teams and Special Constabulary, to help keep people safe on our roads.
