'Belt up' call marks seat belt law anniversary
Nearly a quarter of drivers believe punishments for not wearing a seat belt are too lenient, a new survey suggests.
The RAC survey marks the 40th anniversary of a law coming into force requiring drivers to wear seat belts and found 24% of 1,800 motorists polled feel the existing maximum penalty of a £500 fine is not strong enough.
More than two-thirds (69%) of those people think offenders should also receive at least three points on their licence.
The poll indicated that 68% of drivers believe the person behind the wheel of a vehicleshouldalsoberesponsible for ensuring all their passengers wear seat belts.
Currently they are only required to ensure themselves and children under the age of 14 are buckled up.
Four per cent of respondents admitted having driven without a seat belt in the previous 12 months – with 36% in favour of either more police on the roads or the use of camera-based technology to detect whether seat belts are being worn.
RAC road safety spokesman Simon Williams said: "Today's anniversary provides the ideal moment for the Government to show it's serious about improving safety on our roads.
"Our research shows drivers are clearly supportive of greater penalties, which we know the Government is considering.
"But, arguably, toughening the law isn't enough. Drivers need to think there's a good chance of being caught in the first place."
Department for Transport (DfT) figures show the proportion of car occupants killed in crashes who were not wearing a seat belt reached 30% in 2021, the most in records dating back to 2013.