Surrey Police Campaign Finds 200 Who Forgot to Belt Up

Published on: 8 Jul, 2023
Updated on: 10 Jul, 2023

Image – BBC

Over 200 seatbelt offences were identified in Surrey during the recent national seatbelt campaign.

Between June 5 – 25, Surrey officers were supporting the National Police Chief Council-led campaign.

They stopped a total of 361 vehicles and as a result, 221 seatbelt offences and a further 11 child restraint offences were identified and issued with a traffic offence report.

Of those stopped 322 (89 per cent) were male and 308 (85 per cent) were aged over 25.

Other offences identified during the vehicle stops included:

Six drink or drug drive arrests
Seven vehicle seizures for no licence or no insurance
One arrest for robbery
26 offences where drivers receive penalty points or court summons.

Inspector Paul Meare, Roads Policing Unit said “Whilst most drivers and passengers understand that wearing a seatbelt is vitally important, there are some who risk their lives.

“In a collision, you’re twice as likely to die if you don’t wear a seatbelt*. It’s one of the ‘fatal 5’ causes of death or serious injuries on our roads.

“One driver who officers stopped hadn’t realised that their child’s arms had slipped out from under their car seat restraint. Keeping young and vulnerable persons safe remains our top priority.

“The results from this campaign have shown that what is initially a stop by officers to speak to them about one thing, can lead to other offences being identified.

“This campaign is run in addition to the proactive patrols our officers do 365 days a year to continue our efforts in reducing deaths or serious collisions on the roads of Surrey, whilst also educating road users”

PCC Lisa Townsend Photo Darren Pepe.

Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey Lisa Townsend said: “Ensuring safer Surrey roads is a key part of my Police and Crime Plan for the county – and there couldn’t be a safer way to protect the safety of everyone in your vehicle than fastening a seatbelt before you set off.

“During June, I joined one of Surrey’s specialist Casualty Reduction Officers on the look-out for those who were not wearing theirs, together with other potentially fatal offences including speeding and distracted driving.

“I am really pleased with the results of the campaign by Surrey Police that has raised awareness of the dangers of driving without a seatbelt and taken action against those who willingly put themselves and others at risk.”