Gwent Police - taking part in a national road safety campaign
Officers from Gwent's Roads Policing and Specialist Operations team are taking part in a seat belt campaign this week that highlights the importance of wearing seat belts.
The campaign, which is being run by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and the European Roads Policing Network (ROADPOL), focuses on people not wearing seat belts and improper use of them when in a vehicle. The aim of the campaign is to increase awareness around the dangers of not wearing a seat belt and to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on the roads of Gwent.
- in a crash, you are twice as likely to die if you don't wear a seat belt
- drivers and passengers aged 17 to 34 are most likely to not wear a seat belt
- the above age range also has the highest accident rate in the UK
- people are less likely to wear a seat belt on a short or familiar journey, which puts them at serious risk of injury should they crash.
Sergeant Gareth Williams, who is leading the campaign in Gwent, said, "Wearing a seat belt correctly is important to keep everyone in the vehicle safe, should they be involved in a road traffic collision.
"Throughout this campaign, you can expect to see our RPSO officers carrying out increased patrols in order to identify offenders, educate them, and, where appropriate, report them.
"There are very few reasons why a person doesn't have to wear a seat belt, and anyone who is exempt should ensure that they have the correct documentation with them at all times.
“You are twice as likely to die if you don’t wear a seat belt, so the message is clear: make sure that you wear your seat belt correctly, it could save your life.”
Over the course of the campaign:
- RPSO officers are carrying out increased patrols to identify offenders
- safety camera units will be assisting officers
- offenders will be issued with a traffic offence report (TOR) and will be reported
- young drivers may be referred to youth services for an education programme.
Any adult found not to be wearing a seat belt will face a £100 fine and a traffic offence report (TOR) or will have the option to go on a safety course. If the issue goes to court, the offender faces a £500 fine.
Drivers of a vehicle are responsible for anyone under the age of 14 wearing a seat belt - it is a £100 fine and a TOR for the driver if a child is found not to be correctly restrained.
The message is clear: always wear a seat belt, it's never worth the risk.