Some parents are flouting safety rules

Police also found a two-year-old in a rear child seat who was not strapped in and a 12-year-old sitting with a four-year-old on its lap. Neither had been wearing seat belts.

A motorcyclist was also stopped in Kilmarnock as he drove off-road with his one-year-old son siting on the petrol tank.

However, police said children were not the only ones at risk.

In once incident in Lanarkshire, seven adults were found squeezed into a Vauxhall Cavalier - with one in the boot.

Mr Anderson said figures for the first week of the force's summer's road safety campaign made disappointing reading.

The head of Strathclyde Police's traffic division, said: "I really find it quite astonishing that parents are willing to put the life of their child at risk.

Travelling unrestrained

"I am dumbfounded at some of the stories coming back to me from officers on patrol.

"Last year there were 107 people killed on Strathclyde's roads and some of those tragic deaths could have been prevented if motorists were more responsible for their own and their passengers safety.

The force said it found 1,247 motorists and passengers were travelling unrestrained in vehicles, a 2.6% increase on the same period last year.

Eighty two per cent of these offenders were drivers.

Police also detected 1,204 motorists who were breaking the speed limit and 91% of the offences were committed in built-up areas.

A further 28 motorists faced prosecution for drink-driving and there were five drink-related accidents.

Mr Anderson said officers would be carrying out safety checks on school buses over the next week.

Police also plan to patrol areas around schools toenforce speed limits and parking regulations.