NEARLY 200 people were caught not wearing a seatbelt during a three-week campaign by Warwickshire Police.
During the National Police Chief Council-led campaign last month, the force found 192 drivers and passengers not wearing a seatbelt – including one child.
Sgt Shaun Bridle of Warwickshire Police said most of the drivers responsible seemed to be ‘lazy or unconcerned’, with many saying they simply forgot to put on a seatbelt.
He added: “This drives us to do more seatbelt enforcement operations over the coming months to help educate drivers that wearing a seatbelt could save their lives.
“Most drivers understand that wearing a seatbelt is really important because in a collision, you’re twice as likely to die if you don’t wear one. It’s one of the top four contributory factors to death and injury on our roads alongside drink and drug driving, mobile phones and speeding.”
Police and Crime Commissioner for Warwickshire and Chair of Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership (WRSP) Philip Seccombe said: “We need drivers and passengers to take responsibility for their own safety on the roads by always wearing a seatbelt. We are also asking families and partners to ensure their loved ones always belt up. Please tell them it is important to you that they stay safe.
“We are looking at all aspects of road safety but we need the public to play their part to help us reduce death and serious injury on our roads by 50 per cent by 2030.”
During the campaign, WRSP ran a free session of child car seat checks at Elliott’s Field Shopping Park in Rugby.
One incorrectly-fitted child car seat came out in a PCSO’s hands as she was checking it. The parent was thankful for potentially saving her child’s life.
Other issues found ranged from loose items on the back seat which could hit passengers, including a booster seat not belted in when the child was not in the seat.
Checks conducted by Warwickshire Police in November 2021 found that 69 per cent of child car seats were not correctly fitted.
More child car seat checks are planned, which will be promoted in local media and on social media.
Follow WRSP on on Facebook @WarwickshireRoadSafety and Twitter @WarksRoadSafety for road safety information and advice.
