Belt Up – And Save A Life

Police across Wales have vowed to crack down on motorists and passengers not wearing seatbelts as part of an All Wales Seatbelt Campaign which begins today (Monday 13th March). ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Officers are warning that ‘belting up can save a life’ and they will be monitoring the roads for those ignoring the law. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Inspector Dave Cust from North Wales Police’ Roads Policing Unit said: “Motorists and their passengers who fail to wear their seatbelts whilst driving will be targeted during the two-week campaign. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Failing to wear a seatbelt is still apparent on the roads of Wales, and it is disappointing to see that people are still choosing to risk their lives and the lives of others. 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.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

During the 2016 campaign 1,497 people across Wales were stopped by police for not wearing their seatbelt. There were 146 in North Wales, 347 in the South Wales Police area, 46 in Gwent and 958 in the Dyfed Powys Police area. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

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.
Any child under the age of 14 who is not wearing a seatbelt is the responsibility of the driver and the driver can be fined. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Susan Storch, Chair of Road Safety Wales said: “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.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Inspector Cust added: “It is the responsibility of the driver to ensure that everyone being carried in the vehicle is correctly restrained so please ensure that everyone who gets into your vehicle is belted up safely. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“There is evidence that people are less likely to use seatbelts on short or familiar journeys – this puts them at serious risk of injury in a crash. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Our aim is to save lives and prevent families from having to deal with the aftermath of a collision in which someone is not wearing a seatbelt.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​