THOUSANDS of drivers and passengers in Lancashire are not wearing seatbelts, shock new figures reveal.
Lancashire Constabulary has fined 7,902 motorists in a single year for a variety of seatbelt offences including children under three not being strapped in at all as well as car seats being fitted incorrectly.
The true extent of the problem in East Lancashire was investigated as part of the Lancashire Telegraph Love Your Kids? Belt Them In campaign, which was launched in conjunction with the Lancashire Partnership for Road Safety and Blackburn with Darwen Casualty Reduction team.
The campaign aims to encourage all motorists, however long or short their journey, to belt up after a survey revealed more than half of children do not wear seatbelts.
Over the last 12 months figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show the Pennine Division, which covers Burnley Pendle and Rossendale, is the second highest offending area in the county with 1,542 £60 fines and Eastern Division that patrols the rest of East Lancashire is fourth with 1,154.
Drivers in East Lancashire are the worst offenders, with 2,107 fixed penalty notices — 45 children under 14 have been found not strapped in and 95 children under three were not belted up in the back.
Inspector Phil Davies, from Pennine Division, said: “The non wearing of a seat belt is an offence that is viewed as trivial to many.
"However, in that moment you need it, a seatbelt will make the difference betw-een a minor injury to one that is life-threatening or life changing.”
>> NUMBER OF LANCASHIRE MOTORISTS FINED:
* Driver of motor vehicle failing to wear a seat belt 6915
* Front seat passenger failing to wear seat belt in motor vehicle 557
* Adult rear passenger in a motor vehicle failing to wear a seat belt 156
* Child under three failing to wear rear seatbelt 57
* Drive motor vehicle with child under three year not wearing rear seat belt 146
* Carry child rear-facing restraining device on front seat air bag not deactivated 1
* Driving vehicle with child under 14 not wearing seat belt in front seat 5
* Driving with child under 14 not wearing seat belt (front seat) 21
* Driving with child under 14 not wearing seat belt (rear seat) 44
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