Seatbelt fines double to £60Motorists who don't buckle up face tougher fines
30 June 2009
Motorists who don't buckle up face a £60 fine
The fine for not wearing a seatbelt doubled this week as part of a major government campaign to improve road safety.
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From Monday, motorists caught without a seatbelt face a fixed penalty notice of £60, ministers said – twice the previous fine.
The government said many motorists still choose not to wear seatbelt, despite research which shows they can cut the risk of death by as much as 60% in a 30mph crash.
Bigger fines
Home Office Minister Alan Campbell said: ‘The vast majority of motorists wear seatbelts but we need to go further to make it clear to those who do not obey the rules that they are not only risking their lives but others' too.
‘By increasing the fixed penalty, we are sending a clear message to motorists that we will crack down on them if they are caught failing to take this vital safety precaution. This is not about taking money from motorists, it’s about doing all we can to keep the public safe on our roads.’
Drivers who ‘misrepresent’ their vehicle registration numbers by using unusual fonts, text sizes or colours also face the new £60 fine. The government claims illegal number plates can have a ‘significant impact’ on criminal investigations and crime detection.
For more on how criminals use real and fake number plates, and to see how you can avoid becoming a victim of crime, read our expert guide to car fraud. To see the legal requirements for replacement number plates, check out our guide to passing your MOT test.
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