Humberside Police running seatbelt and child restraints casualty reduction campaign

The campaign will focus on educating people around the dangers of not wearing a seatbelt and making sure that children have the correct restraints in place, when travelling in a vehicle.

Three hundred and seventy deaths and 7,000 serious injuries could be prevented on the roads each year.

Only 85% of front seat passengers and 50% of rear seat passengers comply with the seatbelt laws when travelling in a vehicle.

Casualty Reduction Roads Policing Officer, PC Barry Gardner, said: “It never fails to amaze me that people will still travel in a car without putting their seatbelt on. You would think that by now everyone knows the dangers and would comply with the law.

“If compliance rates can be increased, the severity of injury in the event of a road collision can be reduced dramatically.

“Children in the back of cars are very vulnerable in a collision and can be thrown around inside the vehicle or through a window with terrible consequences. Yet we still regularly stop cars with children not wearing seatbelts, some of them actually standing on the back seat looking out of the back window.

“By raising awareness it is hoped to increase seat belt wearing compliance levels through enforcement, education and encouragement.

“A driver is responsible for themselves and for any passenger under the age of 14 years.

“Any passenger 14 years of age and over is responsible for their own seat belt.

“There are exemptions but essentially ALL DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS of motor vehicles, which includes cars, light vans and up to 3.5 tonnes, MUST wear seat belts.

“Humberside Police Roads Policing Team will be increasing high visibility policing activity to, not only disrupt, prevent and detect criminal activity but also to reduce road collisions and casualties, particularly those involving death and serious injury.”