Drivers in Leicester fined £60 for not wearing seatbelts and using mobile phones in police crackdown
Police yesterday got tough with motorists who commit the offences most commonly linked to death or serious injury on the road.
Forty-five drivers or passengers were fined for failing to wear a seatbelt or using a mobile phone while at the wheel.
-
Pc Owen Lenton speaks to a driver during yesterday’s crackdown on offences commonly linked to serious traffic accidents
Police have staged operations during the past 18 months to educate motorists about those offences and the two other leading causes of accidents – speeding and drinking and driving.
The Fatal 4 campaign has seen about 1,000 drivers pulled over and spoken to about basic road safety.
Business Cards From Only £10.95 Delivered www.myprint-247.co.uk
View detailsOur heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery & VAT included. Choose from 1000's of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.
Terms: Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters & much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk
Contact: 01858 468192
Valid until: Friday, May 31 2013
Yesterday, officers patrolling Leicester's inner ring road began handing out £60 fines and, where required by law, penalty points on licences. Vehicles were escorted to St George's Retail Park, where the fines were handed out.
Anna Sztaba was fined £60 for driving without a seatbelt after she had dropped off her son for his first day at school.
The 31-year-old, who lives off Tudor Road, Leicester, said: "I know the consequences of not wearing a seatbelt and I will make sure I don't do this again.
"This was a happy day because I was taking my son to school for the first time. I have learned the lesson the hard way."
Ksiazyk Przemyslaw, 29, was pulled over when police saw his girlfriend, 26-year-old Emilia Cichocka in the back of the car not wearing a seatbelt. She was fined £60.
Mr Przemyslaw said: "It's a lot of money for her to pay to learn a lesson, but it's a good lesson."
Between 8am and 12.30pm, 43 drivers or passengers were fined £60 for not belting up. Two more were pulled over for using their phones while driving.
That offence also carries a £60 fine and three penalty points.
Nobody was caught speeding or drinking and driving during the operation.
Graham Compton, of the road policing unit, said: "We have been trying to change drivers' behaviour by advising them and not punishing them.
"We have changed tack now and moved over to enforcement.
"Regrettably there are still plenty of drivers who have refused to heed the message. The police and other emergency services deal with far too many cases of drivers and passengers being seriously injured or killed because of one of the four factors we are dealing with."
Pc Kev Marsh, who was taking part in yesterday's operation, said: "I've worked in the road policing unit for nine-and-a-half years and I've seen the consequences of numerous fatal road traffic collisions.
"I've heard a lot of excuses in my time, but people need to realise how crucial our road safety message is."
Lynn Rowe, a road safety officer with Leicester City Council, said: "It was mainly seatbelts on this occasion and, in a couple of cases, it was parents who had not adequately strapped children in.
"People are leaving with fines today, but we hope they understand we are doing this because we are concerned about them."
Further ticketing operations are planned.
Comments
by georgeisafish
Wednesday, September 12 2012, 8:55PM
“ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding, you end up putting the passenger one in your buckle to shut it up”
by leicester
Tuesday, September 11 2012, 5:30AM
“angryman...you get a good point on parking.youcould park a tank where it takea nissan micra t try to park in the area.\\\thats why double yellow lines equates to "park here".
As for litter,,just open car door and chuck anything out.If it was not for the ,depleted,street cleaners the area would be one rat infested tip.
A sad observation is the number of children without belts[one death last month] or just sitting on someones lap in front seat.I see it every day.
Lets not go to "spitting".Looks like car radiators get drained every day on the streets.
We need cops,cpso s,wardens to get more tickets issued.
Anyone disagree?”
by mandynorth41
Sunday, September 09 2012, 8:35PM
“Check out this website http://tinyurl.com/8zplodc Brilliant website that shows you the consequences of committing one or more of the Fatal Four. Really makes you think about how you drive. Too many idiots on the road!!!”
by skippy
Sunday, September 09 2012, 7:04PM
“CGLee its sgt david "thompson" well thats how he spells his name and 2909 is the number on his epaulets so if its wrong he's a fraud and you should contact your local police station!!and looking at the cut backs we would be lucky to have that many officers throughout the midlands let alone leicestershire!”
by karinfall1955
Sunday, September 09 2012, 6:48PM
“I would be happy with a fiver for every motorist I have seen driving past Mansfield House(city police hq) whilst on their phones - feel they are not taking the police seriously..”
by CGLee
Sunday, September 09 2012, 5:13PM
“I don't think Sgt Thomson's number (if you've got his name right) would be 2909. Leicestershire haven't got that many officers!”
by skippy
Sunday, September 09 2012, 2:34PM
“i have been reporting my neighbor for 7 plus months now for driving a car with "NO LICENCE NO INSURANCE NO TAX AND DRIVING WHILE DRUNK AND SMOKING DRUGS" he has written off 3 cars with the last 1 limping back to the driveway in the early hours looking like it spent some time on its roof! when i call police as i was told to by sergeant david thompson 2909 of keyham lane i get told by the operator they have all the details we just need to wait till he gets picked up by a ANPR camera as they have to prioritise things!! so this is what they mean... they have to prioritise by way of income!! no seatbelt £60 mobile phone £60 and 3 points, no profit for catching him... it all makes sense now!
if you have had your car damaged or a friend/family member injured by a car that didnt stop contact sergeant dave thompson (2909) of keyham lane police station he can check information against details i have given and they have never used!!
using mobile phones while driving should carry a £100 fine and 6 points so if your caught twice you loose your licence!”
by Stefan1950
Friday, September 07 2012, 4:52PM
“Should have imposed the fines 18 months ago!!”
by Elaine1971
Friday, September 07 2012, 3:40PM
“Can you come to Whitwick please? Lots of offending motorists around here!”
by CGLee
Friday, September 07 2012, 1:28PM
“The reason that these offences (and many more) are given the same penalty is because they are subject to the fixed penalty scheme which does what it says on the tin (FIXED penalty).”