Seatbelt action targets children

The crackdown is targeting parents who do not make children wear seatbelts

A day of action by police is targeting parents who do not make their children wear seatbelts in cars.

The Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland said the number of people still showing a disregard for the law was too high.

The crackdown coincides with the 21st anniversary of legislation making it compulsory for children to wear seatbelts in the rear seats of cars.

Police will be focusing on parents taking children to and from schools.

About a third of people killed in vehicle collisions are either drivers or passengers not wearing a seatbelt, police said.

They said many might have survived the crash if they had fitted their seatbelt.

Police figures show that on average 27,000 drivers and passengers are caught every year in Scotland not wearing a seatbelt.

In 1983 regulations were brought in under the Transport Act which made it mandatory for front seat passengers to wear seatbelts.

Six years later it became compulsory for children under 14 to wear rear seatbelts.

Then in 1991 the rear seat belts law was extended to adults.