After research revealed that 3 in 10 back seat passengers do not wear a seat belt the UK government has responded by raising
the fine for those caught travelling without a belt from £30 to £60 pounds. In the words of Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker:
"The vast majority of motorists wear seatbelts but some drivers and passengers still choose not to, even though wearing a belt
is a key factor in avoiding death or injury in a car crash.
"By increasing the fixed penalty we hope to deter more motorists from not wearing a seatbelt and underline to them and other
road users the risks."
Government Ministers estimated that 350 lives could have been saved in 2006 had all vehicle occupants been wearing seatbelts,
a figure that is likely to feature prominently as plans for the increased fine are publicised. A new advertising campaign to
remind people to use a seatbelt will be launched in the coming months by the Department for Transport.
At Camps Solicitors we see all too often the very serious consequences that wearing a seat belt can have. Often very serious
injuries could have been prevented or lessened if the victim had been wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident.
When awarding compensation to the victims of non-fault road traffic accidents (RTA), the courts will take into account whether
or not the victim was wearing a seat belt. Any compensation awarded to an accident victim who was not wearing a seat belt
will typically be reduced by around 30% if the injuries could have been completely prevented or significantly reduced or by 15%
if the injuries could have been slightly reduced.
Camps Solicitors help people make to make successful injury claims when they have suffered distress or injury whilst being
involved in an accident that was no fault of their own.
With over 20 solicitors and litigation executives, and a support staff over 120 strong, Camps Solicitors have the resources to
handle even the most complex compensation claim.
Labels: Penalties