British drivers are calling for increased penalties for failing to wear a seat belt, an Allianz Cornhill survey has revealed.
Sixty per cent of the 2,000 drivers across the UK surveyed by the insurer would support a penalty of three licence points and a fine of £50, as opposed to the current fine of £30. And 75% would be in favour of vehicle manufacturers fitting an inhibitor to all vehicles which stops the engine from working unless the driver is wearing a seat belt.
Amazingly, 4% of drivers surveyed do not wear a seatbelt on a regular basis, while 15% don't insist on their passengers buckling up.
Allianz Cornhill spokesman Mark Bishop said: "A small minority of drivers are still ignoring the law on seat belt use. Making seat belt wearing an endorsable offence would certainly reinforce just how important it is to always buckle-up."
According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) in a crash at just 30mph, an unrestrained occupant would be thrown forward with a force 30 to 60 times their body weight. The Department for Transport estimates that seat belt wearing saves approximately 2,000 lives every year.
Kevin Clinton, Head of Road Safety at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), said: "Everyone should wear their seat belt on all journeys, no matter how short. This is such a simple thing to do, and, literally makes the difference between life and death. RoSPA agrees that drivers who fail to belt up should receive penalty points as well as a fine."
Bishop added: "The survey suggests that people feel that not wearing a seat belt is a serious matter and should be dealt with accordingly."
