Belt Up! – All Wales Seatbelt Campaign

‘Belting up can save a life’, people will be warned as part of an All Wales campaign stressing the dangers of not wearing seatbelts. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

From today [Monday, March 13] Dyfed Powys Police will lead the All Wales Seatbelt Campaign, warning drivers they are risking their lives by not wearing belts, and cracking down on motorists and passengers who refuse to belt up.
Not wearing a seatbelt can be a fatal decision even on short, familiar journeys and at low speeds. As a driver you are responsible for ensuring that passengers under the age of 14 are wearing a seatbelt, or using the correct child restraint for their height and age. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Although most road users are fully aware of the potential consequences of not wearing a seatbelt, police officers throughout Wales will be clamping down on those who continue to ignore the law, endangering all road users. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Assistant Chief Constable, Liane James, said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Wearing a seatbelt is such a simple, easy thing to do. As police officers, we see the consequences of driving without a seatbelt all too often at crash scenes. While you will face a fine if you are caught without your seatbelt on, the key message we are trying to get across is that wearing a seatbelt really could mean the difference between life and death – and that applies just as much to passengers as it does to drivers and it also endangers other people within the car. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“It’s such a simple act to carry out and we will continue to work closely with our partners in tackling these issues.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Motorists and passengers who choose to risk their lives by not wearing a seatbelt could receive a £100 on-the-spot fine or be summonsed to court, where they could face fines of up to £500. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Susan Storch, Chair of Road Safety Wales, added: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We want to encourage people to recognise the dangers of not wearing a seatbelt and we know that there are still people across Wales who are taking that risk. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Seatbelts are designed to work as an important part of life saving and injury prevention measures within the vehicle environment. Safety systems, such as airbags and head restraints, will not be as effective in reducing the risk of being hurt or even killed if an occupant is not wearing a seat belt.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The two week enforcement campaign will run throughout Wales from Monday, March 13 toSunday, March 26 2017. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

THE LAW ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Drivers and passengers who fail to wear seatbelts in the front and back of vehicles are breaking the law. You’re also only allowed 1 person in each seat fitted with a seat belt. If you’re caught without a seat belt you face an on-the-spot fine of £100. If prosecuted in court, the maximum fine is £500. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​