Seat Belts save lives and help to prevent horrific injuries…
Cleveland and Durham Police are supporting a Europe-wide seatbelt campaign next week.
The initiative will see officers stopping vehicles where drivers or passengers are not wearing their seatbelts from Monday 7th September as part of the work carried out by TISPOL, the European traffic police network.
And with schools having just gone back across the region, police will be paying particular attention to parents dropping off or picking up their children
Under current legislation, drivers are responsible for ensuring that suitable safety restraints are worn by all passengers under 14 years old. Children must use an appropriate child car restraint for their weight until they are 135cm tall or their 12th birthday, whichever is first.
As seatbelts do not fit children correctly, an appropriate child car restraint is needed to offer the same level of protection as a seatbelt does for adults. Passengers over 14 years are responsible for wearing their own seatbelt and can therefore face prosecution.
Failing to wear a seatbelt now carries a penalty of £100, should motorists be given an on-the-spot fine. Prosecution can lead to a maximum fine of up to £500.