Seat Belt Spot Fine Doubled To £60

The on-the-spot fine for not wearing a seat belt has been doubled to £60 in a bid to crack down on motorists who continue to flout the law.

This is despite the risk of death and injury and the possibility of invalidating some aspects of car insurance cover if seat belts are not worn.

Said road safety minister Paul Clark: "Every day someone dies because they do not think they always need to use a seat belt. That's why we run hard-hitting campaigns which highlight the injuries you are likely to receive.

"I am confident that these campaigns, along with the increased fixed penalty, will mean that fewer people are needlessly killed on our roads."

Home office minister Alan Campbell has stressed that "this is not about taking money from motorists, it's about doing all we can to keep the public safe on our roads".

He added: "We need to make it clear to those who do not obey the rules that they are not only risking their lives but others too. We are sending a clear message to motorists that we will crack down on them if they are caught failing to take this vital safety precaution."