Belt-up message for motorists

The number was almost half the 850 people who committed seatbelt offences throughout Wales during the All Wales Seatbelt Campaign in March.

Dyfed-Powys Police took the lead on the campaign, warning drivers they risked their lives by not wearing belts, and cracking down on motorists and passengers who refused to belt up.

Assistant Chief Constable, Liane James, said: "Not wearing a seatbelt can be a fatal decision even on short, familiar journeys and at low speeds. As a driver you are responsible for ensuring that passengers under the age of 14 are wearing a seatbelt, or using the correct child restraint for their height and age."

She said although most road users are fully aware of the potential consequences of not wearing a seatbelt, police officers throughout Wales clamped down on those continuing to ignore the law and endangering all road users.

“Wearing a seatbelt is such a simple, easy thing to do. As police officers, we see the consequences of driving without a seatbelt all too often at crash scenes. While you will face a fine if you are caught without your seatbelt on, the key message we are trying to get across is that wearing a seatbelt really could mean the difference between life and death - and that applies just as much to passengers as it does to drivers and it also endangers other people within the car."

Motorists and passengers who choose to risk their lives by not wearing a seatbelt could receive a £100 on-the-spot fine or be summonsed to court, where they could face fines of up to £500.

Susan Storch, chairman of Road Safety Wales, added:

"With children and young people learning directly from adults, Road Safety Wales would appeal to those drivers and passengers across Wales, who continue to flout the seatbelt law, to reconsider their attitude and behaviour. Protecting yourself and sending the right message to others is a very simple undertaking which could save lives. Whatever the journey, do the right thing and buckle up.”

Figures of those found in cars without seatbelts were: Dyfed-Powys, 400; Gwent, 170; North Wales, 9; South Wales, 275.