POLICE stopped 95 drivers during a national campaign between Monday, May 24 and Sunday, June 13 urging the public to always wear a seatbelt as it could save your life.
The operation, by Warwickshire Police, saw 70 Traffic Offence Reports (TORs) issued to drivers and passengers for failing to wear a seatbelt while 25 people were given words of advice.
TORs were given to drivers who are responsible for ensuring anyone under the age of 14 in the vehicle wears a seat belt or uses an appropriate child restraint as required by law, and to passengers over the age of 14 who are themselves responsible for wearing a seatbelt. This included two children who were found not wearing appropriate child restraints.
The campaign also resulted in the arrest of a wanted, the arrest of a disqualified driver whose vehicle was also seized and the arrest of a suspected drug driver.
Of the 95 drivers stopped, 46 were in cars, 47 were in vans and two were HGV drivers.
The vast majority – 86 – were male with only nine women stopped for not wearing seatbelts. Only six drivers were under 25.
Sergeant Shaun Bridle said: “It’s disappointing to see so many over 25s driving without a seat belt being worn, and in particular van drivers.
“Seatbelts save lives, it’s as simple as that and that’s why we are asking friends and family to look out for each other by checking each other’s seatbelts.
“Please make this a habit.
“National statistics tell us you are twice as likely to die in a collision if you are not wearing your seatbelt so you really could be saving a life.”
