Police will carry out rigorous checks on drivers and their passengers

Dorset Police's campaign will also target criminals who are "unlikely to bother complying with the laws concerning seat belt safety".

Chief Insp Rick Dowell, head of road policing, described seatbelts as an "effective way of reducing injuries".

People who flout the law will be issued with fixed penalty tickets, police say.

'Detecting criminal offences'

Chief Insp Dowell said: "There is no doubt that the use of seat belts is a highly effective way of reducing serious and fatal injuries sustained as a result of road traffic collisions.

"But, recent research also shows that people who carry out serious crimes, such as burglary, do not comply with the law generally and are therefore unlikely to bother complying with the laws concerning seat belt safety.

"Our officers will be targeting people who don't wear their seat belts with this in mind.

"We will be carrying out rigorous checks on both drivers and their vehicles in the anticipation of detecting criminal offences as well as increasing road safety."