Wearing a set belt can save your life, say police

In one sample taken in Church Road, Bristol, last December, 78 out of 376 drivers observed in 30 minutes were not belted, only six were women.

In Somerset 20% of passengers were unbelted in Yeovil and 16% in Street, however the number of drivers complying was higher than in Bristol.

Superintendent Lawrie Lewis said: The sad fact is that both male and female car occupants form 64% of all road casualties - the windscreen doesn't discriminate."

Operation Taut has been launched this February to enforce seat-belt wearing.

"Reducing the casualty toll on the roads of Avon and Somerset is a top priority for both the police and our partners in the local authority," said Superintendent Lewis.

"Wearing a seat belt drastically reduces your chances of receiving injuries in a collision on the road and an unbelted rear seat passenger can kill or seriously injure those in the front."

According to independent observational surveys, a core 12% of the nation's 28 million drivers still fail to belt up for every journey.