Charles wrote:
> http://press.homeoffice.gov.uk/press-releases/crackdown-on-seatbelt
>
> Press Releases
> Search for press releases
> Crackdown on those who don't use seatbelts
> 15 September 2008
>
> The Home Office has launched a consultation into increasing the fixed
> penalty for those who fail to wear a seatbelt.
>
> The consultation (new window) seeks views on increasing the fixed
> penalty from £30 to £60 for failure to comply with seat belt
> legislation.

The government hopes it will improve safety. More likely the government
hopes it will increase its revenue in fines.

I guess that most of us in the U.K. knew that this would be coming soon,
as the fixed penalty for minor offenses has been £30 for quite a few
years now. The soon raised the £30 fine mobile-phone use while driving
to £60 plus 3 penalty point not long after the law was introduced.

It must have been about a year, maybe two, ago that Ireland bumped up
its seat belt penalties and started putting penalty points on licenses
too. Then of course September 2006 saw the lasy big change to all the
child carseat/belt laws, which have become so complex that even those
people who normally DO use belts and child seats are likely to fall foul
of the legislation even if unintentionally.

I'm only surprised that the U.K. hasn't yet started talking about
penalty points for belt offenses, but I'm sure it won't be long.

A point to ponder: What is the current fixed penalty for a basic
construction & use offense? I have a feeling it might be £30. So if
the belt violation goes up to £60, and they DO eventually decide to have
it carry points, it will be a better risk to simply remove the driver's
belt from my car entirely. Have to check up on that one.....

-Paul.