POLICE in Bromsgrove are cracking down on drivers who flout the seat belt laws.

Officers in North Worcestershire are launching Operation Jeopardy to tackle the increasing problem of people who are not buckling up.

Inspector Ian Massey, from the division's road policing unit, said: "There seems to have been an increase in recent years with people not using their seatbelts. We are becoming very concerned about the number of children that can be seen playing in the back of cars without having their seatbelts on.

"Across Redditch, Bromsgrove and Kidderminster over the past year 120 people were either killed or seriously injured.

"We know that about ten per cent of those deaths and injuries could have been prevented, or certainly reduced, if the person involved had been wearing their seatbelt."

Insp Massey added: "Over the next few weeks we shall be targeting drivers and giving advice or issuing penalties to motorists who are not wearing their seatbelts or ensuring that the children within the car are also safe."

Under the law the driver of a car is responsible for the safety of the children in it and could face fines if anyone under the age of 14 is not wearing a seatbelt.

People over the age of 14 not wearing a seatbelt are responsible for themselves and would face a fine if caught.

"Operation Jeopardy aims to highlight this issue in North Worcestershire, encouraging the increased use of seatbelts and hopefully leading to a decrease in the number of people seriously or fatally injured following a road traffic collision," added Insp Massey.

The wearing of a front seat belt became compulsory in 1982. Laws covering their use in the rear of vehicles were introduced in 1991.