A week-long police enforcement campaign against drivers and passengers not using seatbelts has resulted in the issue of more than 125,000 penalties.
The campaign in March was co-ordinated by TISPOL, the pan-European traffic police organisation. Officers in 24 countries across Europe stopped drivers of all ages who were flouting seatbelt laws.
Of the 125,422 penalties, 9,234 related to children not wearing seatbelts or other appropriate safety restraints.
TISPOL president Pasi Kemppainen said: "We carry out these enforcement campaigns because too many people are dying unnecessarily through not wearing a seatbelt.
“We therefore want to make it clear how important it is for all occupants to wear seatbelts. This means everybody is better protected and has less chance of sustaining fatal injuries in a road collision.
He continued: “Wearing a seatbelt is the single most effective way of saving lives and reducing injuries in road crashes.
“That’s why wearing a seatbelt is not a matter of choice and we will continue to use vigorous enforcement strategies which back up the continuing education campaigns.”
Stopping drivers for seatbelt offences also provides police officers with the opportunity to make other appropriate safety and security checks.
For example, officers also detected and dealt with offences connected with illegal immigration and human trafficking (41), possession of drugs (192), firearms (22) and stolen goods (35).
TISPOL has been established by the traffic police forces of Europe in order to improve road safety and law enforcement on the roads of Europe. Its main priority is to reduce the number of people being killed and seriously injured on Europe's roads.
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