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17/07/2001
POLICE SAY BELT UP OR PAY UP
PEOPLE found not wearing their seatbelts are to be issued with a £30 fixed penalty notice instead of a warning, in a new RUC initiative designed to save lives and reduce serious injury.
Every year almost 35,000 people are found not wearing seatbelts, with most offenders so far given advice and warning instead of penalties or prosecution. However, the launch of a new media campaign has stressed the move away from this current practice to one of issuing fixed penalty notices.
Announcing the newest phase of the initiative, Superintendent Ian Hamill, head of Road Policing Development Branch, said: "The RUC, along with the Department of the Environment and other organisations involved in road safety, believe that up to 20 lives could be saved in Northern Ireland every year if more seatbelts were worn."
He continued: "We are confident that this more robust approach will be welcomed and supported by all law-abiding people. We told the motoring public at the launch of the seatbelt advertisement that for the next four weeks we would continue with the policy of advising and warning. However, we warned them that this would be followed by a seatbelt 'red card' when fixed penalty notices would become the norm. It is now 'red card' time."
Figures for road casualties in Northern Ireland are the worst of any region in the UK, with a recent survey showing that only 67 per cent of passengers in back seats wear seatbelts even though the legal requirement to wear belts in rear seats was introduced in 1993. (CL)
Every year almost 35,000 people are found not wearing seatbelts, with most offenders so far given advice and warning instead of penalties or prosecution. However, the launch of a new media campaign has stressed the move away from this current practice to one of issuing fixed penalty notices.
Announcing the newest phase of the initiative, Superintendent Ian Hamill, head of Road Policing Development Branch, said: "The RUC, along with the Department of the Environment and other organisations involved in road safety, believe that up to 20 lives could be saved in Northern Ireland every year if more seatbelts were worn."
He continued: "We are confident that this more robust approach will be welcomed and supported by all law-abiding people. We told the motoring public at the launch of the seatbelt advertisement that for the next four weeks we would continue with the policy of advising and warning. However, we warned them that this would be followed by a seatbelt 'red card' when fixed penalty notices would become the norm. It is now 'red card' time."
Figures for road casualties in Northern Ireland are the worst of any region in the UK, with a recent survey showing that only 67 per cent of passengers in back seats wear seatbelts even though the legal requirement to wear belts in rear seats was introduced in 1993. (CL)
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The number of people wearing seat belts in Northern Ireland has increased over the past year, figures have revealed. According to the yearly survey commissioned by the DoE, 91% of drivers and 90% of passengers were recorded as wearing a seat belt for the year April 2003-04, an increase of 1%.
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15 May 2023
New Penalty's Introduced For Careless Driving
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27 July 2001
Road safety message is shown to hit home
A new survey shows that the current ‘road safety’ message may be beginning to hit home, following a week of traffic accident tragedies - particularly in the Republic of Ireland where 21 people have perished in road accidents during the last week alone.
Road safety message is shown to hit home
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31 August 2004
Parents advised to belt up for return to school
In a warning to coincide with the start of the new school year, parents have been advised to keep their children safe and to use seatbelts. Environment Minister Angela Smith advised parents to Belt Up as kids are three times more likely to be killed or seriously injured if they are not wearing a seatbelt.
Parents advised to belt up for return to school
In a warning to coincide with the start of the new school year, parents have been advised to keep their children safe and to use seatbelts. Environment Minister Angela Smith advised parents to Belt Up as kids are three times more likely to be killed or seriously injured if they are not wearing a seatbelt.
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Northern Ireland WeatherThis Evening and Tonight:West to northwest gale force winds, severe along the north coast, will continue overnight. Frequent showers persist, merging into longer periods of rain at times and turning wintry. Minimum temperature 1 °C.
