NPCC: National Seatbelt Operation – June 2023

Police Forces and Road Safety Partnerships across the UK are clamping down on seat belt offences as part of a nationwide campaign.

The three-week operation, co-ordinated by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC). From Monday (June 12), Sussex Safer Road Partnership have been joining colleagues from across the UK to support the NPCC annual seat belt operation to help drive the message home. This campaign, which runs until Sunday, June 25, aims to raise awareness of the dangers of not wearing a seat belt whilst driving, which can increase the chances of being involved in a fatal or serious collision.

With all the educational road safety campaigns, there is absolutely no excuse for not wearing a seatbelt, and it is extremely shocking that some people still fail to belt up or wear their seat belts incorrectly! It takes no more than a few seconds to secure the safety of yourself and your loved ones. 

Throughout the course of the campaign SSRP, through the support of Partners, will be out and about across Sussex identifying those choosing not to wear a seat belt. The penalties people may face can include a fixed penalty fine and in some cases a court appearance.

Not wearing a seatbelt is both dangerous and illegal. In a crash, you’re twice as likely to die if you are not wearing a seatbelt.

You should fasten your seatbelt before you start your engine. You must make sure that all children in the vehicle you’re driving are:

• in the correct car seat for their height or weight until they reach 135 centimetres tall or their 12th birthday, whichever is first
• wearing a seat belt if they’re 12 or 13 years old, or younger and over 135cm tall

You can be fined up to £500 if a child under 14 isn’t in the correct car seat or wearing a seat belt while you’re driving. Children aged 14 or older are responsible for putting on their seatbelts on themselves.

Not wearing a seatbelt can be a fatal decision even on short, familiar journeys and at low speeds. Wear your seatbelt correctly so it can offer you the best possible protection in a crash.

More information about seatbelt law, the penalties for not wearing them and any exemptions to the rules can be found on the Government website.

Please take a second to watch our Embrace Life short film.

Since launch in January 2010, the advert quickly became a worldwide viral smash, gathering over 11.8million views on YouTube in ten months. Created to raise awareness of the importance of wearing a seatbelt, Embrace Life was deliberately developed to provide a counter-point to the hard-hitting ‘shock and awe’ advertising used in road safety.

The campaign has scooped a wide range of awards, including YouTube Ad of the Year, a Prince Michael International Road Safety Award, Gold World Medal, New York International Advertising Awards; a Bronze Lion at the Cannes International Advertising Awards; Highly Commended from the Chartered Institute of Highways and Transportation and the advert was also featured in the Advertising Producers Award (APA) 2010 collection

This short film is still relevant today, please take a couple of minutes out of your day to watch it and share amongst friends and family. 

A YouTube account/ user left the below comment on the video: 

‘It’s already been said over and again in the comments but I consider this a work of art. Whoever wrote, directed, and produced/edited this piece are geniuses and as talented as any I’ve ever seen. It captures everything in life as it passes by your eyes in that moment when the frailty of existence becomes clear. And your family and loved ones are symbolic in this piece, and would keep you safe if they could, but the end result is those are the ones you would leave behind. It is brief, it is poignant, it is relevant, and it is just an incredibly well done film.’