Police warn drivers to '˜belt up' ahead of crackdown in Hampshire

Police in Hampshire are joining a national campaign to get drivers and passengers to wear seatbelts.

From today until Sunday, March 18, officers from the Roads Policing Unit will stop vehicles where drivers and passengers are not wearing their seatbelt.

Drivers are legally responsible for ensuring that suitable safety restraints are worn by all passengers under 14 years of age.

The penalty for being caught not wearing a seatbelt is an on-the-spot £100 fine, or if prosecuted up to £500.

The news comes after a previous TISPOL seatbelt campaign in September 2017 where 2,422 penalties were issued.

Sergeant Rob Heard said: ‘The vast majority of people are wearing their seatbelts, unfortunately we are still finding people who decide to take the risk and travel in a vehicle without wearing a seatbelt.

‘You are twice as likely to die in a collision if you are not wearing a seatbelt and in the event of an accident if unrestrained, you will hit the windscreen, or the front seat in the case of a rear seat passenger at a force of 30 to 60 times your own body weight.

‘Unfortunately some people are becoming complacent and feel a collision will never happen to them.

‘Research has shown that many collisions occur at low speed and within in few miles of home.

‘I would always recommend to people to wear a seat belt every time you travel in a vehicle, it’s just not worth the risk.’