Seatbelt stop-checks for drivers

Staffordshire Police are this week carrying out stop-checks to catch motorists not wearing seatbelts.

Officers are stopping any driver who they suspect of either not wearing a seatbelt or carrying a passenger who is not belted up.

The initiative started earlier this week as part of the European Seatbelt Enforcement Campaign and will run until Sunday. Les Dyble, traffic management officer for Staffordshire Police, said people in the county should be well aware of the law by now.

He said: "Seat belt law has now been in place since 1983. The regulations were amended in 1989 to include rear seat passengers and children.

"Further amendments were made in 1993 and the most recent change was made in September 2006, which referred to child restraints including child seats, booster seats and booster cushions but still drivers and passengers, including children, are still carried unrestrained."

Mr Dyble said going without a seatbelt in a vehicle is not only against the law but can also cause serious injury or death, either within the confines of the vehicle or if someone is thrown out on impact of a collision.

Rear seat passengers can be thrown forward, colliding with the head of either of the front seat occupants causing death or serious injury.

Mr Dyble said that drivers are responsible – for both themselves and for any child under the age of 14, while passengers aged 14 or more can themselves be prosecuted and face a fixed penalty of £30 but if the case goes to court, the maximum penalty is £500.

He added: "As a driver, or adult passenger, would you put yourself in the position of being responsible for someone's death or serious injury.

"And why, as a parent, would you risk the life of your precious child?"