Road safety 

Seatbelt Safe Scheme

A new online course has been developed for motorists and passengers who travel without wearing a seatbelt in Thames Valley.

From 7 September 2009, officers who stop vehicles where either the driver or any passengers are not wearing seatbelts should refer offenders to an online course at Seatbeltsafe.com.

The course costs £25 and includes a test element which must be passed within 14 days of the date of the offence. It can replace the fixed £60 fine issued previously. Anyone who does not pass the test within this time must pay the £25 in addition to the £60 fine.

The Seatbelt Safe Scheme was developed because evidence suggests that motorists who are offered education and support are less likely to re-offend than those who are simply handed a fixed penalty notice:

• Speeding motorists who took part in a Thames Valley speed awareness course had a re-offending rate of 2.65 per cent in the six months afterwards.
• Young motorists who took part in a Thames Valley young driver scheme had a re-offending rate of 2.1 per cent in the six months afterwards.
• Motorists who were handed a fixed penalty notice had a re-offending rate of 5.2 per cent.

The online course has been developed by Thames Valley Police, DriveTech (UK) Limited and a2om.