AS PART of an international road safety campaign drivers in Worcestershire are being asked to make sure they and their passengers – particularly children – are properly strapped in.

Following research showing a 100 per cent increase in children not wearing seatbelts or not being properly strapped in over the past two years, the Warwickshire Police and West Mercia Police Safer Roads Partnership is backing this week’s United Nations Global Road Safety Week.

The amount of children killed or seriously injured on the roads in Britain has also increased for the first time in 20 years and recent national studies have shown two out of three children’s car seats are not properly fitted.

Drivers are responsible for ensuring children aged younger than 14 are properly strapped in and police have the power to enforce an on-the-spot £100 fine on car users not wearing seatbelts. If prosecuted the maximum fine for not wearing a seatbelt is £500.

Communications manager at the Safer Roads Partnership Vicki Bristow said not wearing a seatbelt could be a fatal decision, even on short, familiar journey or at slow speeds.

“Although most people do wear their seat belts there are still a few that either choose not to or simply forget,” she said.

“We’re urging both drivers and passengers to ensure they wear their seat belt at all times as it may just give them the added protection they need if involved in a collision.

“We’re particularly encouraging parents, carers and professional childcare establishments to check the children they are carrying in their cars are travelling in the correct size car seat and that it is correctly fitted.”

Warwickshire Police and West Mercia Police Superintendent Lee Davenport said officers were particularly focusing on enforcing the law around seat belt use as part of the campaign.

“Seat belts and the use of car seats are an effective means of reducing serious injuries and fatalities and anything we can do to increase their use has got to be a positive step,” he said.

Research has shown wearing a seatbelt or being properly strapped in can cut the risk of being killed in a crash by as much as 50 per cent.