Hundreds foundflouting seatbelt law in crack-down

The drivers were stopped in Sussex during a Europe-wide crackdown on those failing to belt up when they get behind the wheel.

Officers carried out enforcement checks across the county last week to catch drivers and passengers refusing to obey the law.

A total of 290 people were caught not wearing a seatbelt during the operation. 285 were adults and five were children.

Drivers are responsible for ensuring that children they are carrying in their vehicles are wearing seatbelts and the adults receive the punishment.

Since 1993 it has been illegal not to wear a seatbelt in a car without a valid excuse.

Sergeant Neil Walker, of Sussex Police’s Road Policing Unit, said: “There is still a hard core of people who refuse to wear a seatbelt when they get into a car.

“They endanger not just themselves but other road users with this selfish attitude. There are also still people who allow their children to get into a vehicle without wearing a seatbelt.”