Fixed penalties double for not wearing seatbelts
By Liz Stephens
The will be new penalties for motorists who fail to wear seatbelts and use illegal number plates, the Home Office announced today.
On-the-spot fines of £60 will be handed out in a major road safety crackdown – the fixed penalty notices will double from £30 from today.
The increase follows a public consultation on how to stop the problem of motorists failing to comply with seatbelt laws, despite repeated warnings that they risk serious injury or death.
Whilst educational campaigns and publicity have made a sizeable difference to driver behaviour, a small percentage of drivers and passengers are still ignoring the law.
A £60 fixed penalty fine will also be payable for illegal vehicle registration plates. Plates which fail to comply with the rules can have a significant impact on criminal investigations and crime detection.
Home office minister Alan Campbell said: “This is not about taking money from motorists, it’s about doing all we can to keep the public safe on our roads.”
Road safety minister Paul Clark added: “Every day someone dies because they do not think they always need to use a seat belt. This tragic waste could be avoided if everyone took the simple step of belting up every time they got in a car.”
Seat belts reduce the risk of dying in a 30mph crash by 60 per cent.
