Thames Valley Police launch campaign to encourage road users to wear a seatbelt

In the past five years, 46 drivers and nine passengers have died as a result of not wearing a seat belt across Hampshire and the Thames Valley.

Thames Valley Police and Hampshire’s Joint Roads Policing Unit are supporting the National Police Chief’s Council’s seatbelt campaign from Monday 22 June until Sunday 12 July, carrying out awareness and enforcement activity to ensure that drivers wear a seat belt and that there is an appropriate child seat that is fitted correctly for children in vehicles.

Wearing a seatbelt has been compulsory since 1983 and it has been identified as one of the fatal four factors that could impact on whether you could be seriously or fatally injured if involved in a road traffic collision.

PC Liz Johnson, Road Safety Officer for Thames Valley Police and Hampshire Constabulary, said: “The vast majority of people are wearing their seat belts, and have an appropriate child seat.

“However, there are still a few people who decide to take the risk and travel in a vehicle without wearing a seat belt.

“You are twice as likely to die in a collision if you are not wearing a seat belt and, in the event of a collision, if unrestrained, you will hit the windscreen, or the seat in front of you at a force of 30 to 60 times your own body weight.

“Please ensure you have followed the guidelines on child seats to ensure that they are fitted correctly, that your child is the correct height and weight for that particular seat.

“Research has shown that many collisions occur at low speed and within in few miles of home. I would always recommend to people to wear a seat belt every time you travel in a vehicle, it's not worth the risk.”