Increase in motorists not wearing seatbelts
Thursday, 24th February 2011.
Nearly 200 motorists were caught not wearing their seatbelt during a week-long speed enforcement campaign in Suffolk between Monday and Sunday, February 14-20.
Officers were deployed countywide to clamp down on people not wearing a seatbelt or not using the appropriate child restraints during the campaign, led by Tispol – the European Traffic Police Network.
The campaign tied in with a month of targeted high-visibility patrols already taking place in Suffolk throughout February, which will continue to see officers clamping down on anyone not wearing a seatbelt or not using the appropriate child restraints.
During the week-long campaign 186 fixed penalty notices were issued in total, equating to an average of 26.6 per day.
Of the 186 fixed penalty notices issued, 183 were given in relation to adults not wearing a seatbelt and three in relation to a child, with the recipients incurring a minimum of an instant £60 fine.
In a similar campaign in February 2010, Suffolk Police issued 101 fixed penalty notices, equating to nearly 14.5 per day.
Failing to wear a seatbelt remains one of the main causation factors of fatal and serious injury collisions. Someone in a crash at just 30 mph will be thrown forward with a force of between 30 and 60 times their body weight. Seatbelts reduce this force and consequently reduce the risk of serious injury or death.
Ch Insp Adrian Dawson from the roads policing unit said: “The rise in the amount of people stopped who were not wearing a seatbelt is frustrating, as it is such a simple yet incredibly important thing to do.
"Even on short journeys or at low speeds the importance of wearing a seatbelt cannot be underestimated - it can mean the difference between life and death.
"This is why we extended the clampdown for the whole of February and will remain intent on targeting people who do not wear appropriate restraints for the rest of the month and beyond.”
Officers were deployed countywide to clamp down on people not wearing a seatbelt or not using the appropriate child restraints during the campaign, led by Tispol – the European Traffic Police Network.
The campaign tied in with a month of targeted high-visibility patrols already taking place in Suffolk throughout February, which will continue to see officers clamping down on anyone not wearing a seatbelt or not using the appropriate child restraints.
During the week-long campaign 186 fixed penalty notices were issued in total, equating to an average of 26.6 per day.
Of the 186 fixed penalty notices issued, 183 were given in relation to adults not wearing a seatbelt and three in relation to a child, with the recipients incurring a minimum of an instant £60 fine.
In a similar campaign in February 2010, Suffolk Police issued 101 fixed penalty notices, equating to nearly 14.5 per day.
Failing to wear a seatbelt remains one of the main causation factors of fatal and serious injury collisions. Someone in a crash at just 30 mph will be thrown forward with a force of between 30 and 60 times their body weight. Seatbelts reduce this force and consequently reduce the risk of serious injury or death.
Ch Insp Adrian Dawson from the roads policing unit said: “The rise in the amount of people stopped who were not wearing a seatbelt is frustrating, as it is such a simple yet incredibly important thing to do.
"Even on short journeys or at low speeds the importance of wearing a seatbelt cannot be underestimated - it can mean the difference between life and death.
"This is why we extended the clampdown for the whole of February and will remain intent on targeting people who do not wear appropriate restraints for the rest of the month and beyond.”
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