European-wide campaign to crackdown on people who don’t wear their seatbelt has started today. Officers from Central Motorway Policing Group and West Midlands Police will be carrying out checks as part of the Europe-wide TISPOL seatbelt enforcement campaign from Today (08/09) until Sunday (14/09). The aim of the campaign is to crackdown and educate people who choose not to wear a seatbelt. If everyone in the UK wore a seatbelt, it is estimated that over 350 lives and 1000 serious casualties could be saved every year. Officers will be joined by firefighters from WMFS at Frankley services on the M5 today and Hopwood Park services on the M42 on Tuesday 9th September to educate motorists about the importance of wearing a seatbelt. Inspector Andrew Bentley, from Central Motorway Police Group, said: “We want to make sure everyone who gets into a vehicle and takes to the road does so in a safe and secure manner. Seatbelts are there for a reason - they save lives - and the law states all occupants of vehicles fitted with them should be wearing one. It is shocking to see how many people still think it is OK to drive off, even driving at speed on a motorway, whilst not wearing a seatbelt. It beggars belief that people would also risk their child’s life by not properly securing them in their vehicle. Drivers and passengers who fail to wear seatbelts will face an on-the-spot fine of £100. If prosecuted, the maximum fine is £500. West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson added: “Seatbelts save lives. Though research indicates that over 90 per cent of people wear a seatbelt when a driver or a passenger, there remains a minority who do not. Sadly, these people and their children who do not wear belts are far more likely to be killed or injured. As Police and Crime Commissioner, I intend to do all I can to make our roads safer, and that includes encouraging everyone from all communities to wear a seatbelt, whether young or old, passenger or driver. I wholeheartedly support this campaign, and sincerely hope that the message gets through.”
Posted on: Mon, 08 Sep 2014 11:17:59 +0000
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