New penalties for no seatbelt and illegal plates

Drivers caught without a seatbelt or using illegal number plates now face on-the-spot fines of £60 in a major government road safety crackdown.

Fixed penalty notices for failing to wear a seatbelt or putting illegal plates on a vehicle have just increased from £30 to £60.

Many motorists persist in failing to comply with seatbelt laws, despite the fact that they reduce the risk of dying in a 30mph crash by 60%. The increase in fixed penalties also covers misrepresentation of vehicle registration marks. This includes failure to conform with rules on font, size and colour of number plates.