Time to buckle up
The government has announced that it plans to increase the penalty for driving without a seatbelt.
It has said that drivers found without a seatbelt stand to be issued with penalty points.
The Department of Transport announced this as one of 74 measures to tackle road safety in the UK. Currently, those not wearing seatbelts are given a £100 on-the-spot fine – but now the government is considering issuing penalty points for this offence.
In 2017 27% of car deaths involved people who were not wearing a seatbelt, an increase of seven per cent on the previous year and a marked increase on the years before it.
Neil Greig, IAM RoadSmart director of policy and research, said, ‘This is very welcome news. The best way of tackling this ever-present issue is to make people believe there is a high chance of being caught. This could start tomorrow if consistent guidelines on using mobile speed camera vans to enforce seatbelt laws were issued.
‘Currently there is no standard approach on using this high-profile resource across the UK. Making non-wearing of seatbelts an endorsable offence is also a quick win. Not only would it persuade more people to take the offence seriously, but it might benefit them to take a seatbelt awareness course. People avoid using seatbelts for a wide range of individual reasons and these views need to be challenged face-to-face.’
Paul Loughlin, solicitor and motoring law specialist at Stephensons Solicitors, said, ‘Driving without a seatbelt remains one of the most common offences committed on Britain’s roads and all too often it can have catastrophic consequences. As it stands, drivers and passengers caught without a seatbelt could be hit with an on-the-spot Fixed Penalty Notice of £100, rising to a fine of £500 if the case goes to court. The introduction of points on top of this is a good step forward and a further deterrent, but it must be backed up with education.
‘In many new cars and vans, drivers are warned if they haven’t fastened their seatbelt, however in older vehicles, there is no warning system. It’s also worth remembering that it’s not just drivers of these vehicles who need to buckle up, it’s also their passengers. Everyone over the age of 14 is responsible for themselves in a vehicle, and the driver is responsible for anyone under the age of 14. It’s crucial, therefore, that these penalties and the 73 other measures in the Government’s Road Safety Action Plan are communicated effectively and heard by everyone.’
