Drivers face penalty points for not wearing seat belts

Drivers caught not wearing a seat belt will face points on their driving licence. Currently, motorists in England, Scotland and Wales who don’t buckle up are given a £100 fine. Whilst in Northern Ireland, failure to wear a seat belt can lead to a £500 fine and three penalty points.

27% of 787 car occupants who died in crashes on Britain’s roads in 2017 were not wearing a seat belt, figures show.

The new plans are to increase penalties for motoring offences. The Department for Transport has not said how many points may be given. The new punishment for not wearing a seat belt is one of the 74 measures included in the government’s Road Safety Action Plan.

Also under the new plans, new drivers could be banned from travelling at night. The government is also considering fitting alcohol sensors to cars driven by people convicted of drinking and driving. This will immobilise the vehicle if they are over the legal limit.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said the Road Safety Action Plan was a “key milestone” that sets out how Britain would try to reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on its roads.

The RAC Foundation said it was “barely conceivable” that tens of thousands of drivers and passengers make the decision each day not to belt up.

It said: “The direct effect of non-compliance might be felt by the vehicle occupant themselves in the event of a crash, but ultimately the emergency services are left to deal with the roadside consequences and the taxpayer foots the bills.”

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