Buckinghamshire Council is reminding people about the need to always wear a seatbelt as part of an ongoing campaign to increase road safety and protect lives.
As part of the campaign, in partnership with Good Egg and Thames Valley Police, the Council’s road safety team has been visiting local supermarkets. The experts from Good Egg have been carrying out free child car seat checks. Council officers have been on hand to provide information and advice to drivers alongside the police who have been carrying out checks to make sure people are wearing seatbelts.
Steven Broadbent, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, explained: “The majority of people know the law and always wear a seatbelt when driving or as a passenger, but some seem to be unaware that it is a legal requirement to wear a seatbelt for their safety, or simply choose to ignore the law. These are the people we are reaching out to.”
Anyone not wearing a seatbelt who is involved in a collision is more likely to suffer serious injury. If caught by the police, you face the chance of getting an on the spot £100 fine. If prosecuted in court, you could face a fine of up to £500.
Steven continued: “We’ve heard the excuses, seatbelts are uncomfortable, it’s a pain when you are jumping in and out of your vehicle all the time or you can’t face arguing with your children about wearing a seatbelt. We do understand but the fact of the matter is, unless you have a medical or legal exemption, there is no excuse for not wearing a seatbelt. So please do the smart thing – belt up and keep everyone safe.”
The council carries out regular car seat checks. In 2022, 27 child car seats were checked during two community events. Out of those seats checked, 89% were found to be incorrectly fitted. For more information on car seat safety visit: www.gov.uk/child-car-seats-the-rules