ROADS policing officers across Durham and Cleveland are supporting a national week-long seatbelt campaign beginning next week.

Officers will stop vehicles where drivers or passengers are not wearing their seatbelts from Monday, September 11.

Legislation states that drivers are responsible for ensuring that suitable safety restraints are worn by all passengers under 14 years old.

Children must use an appropriate child car restraint for their weight until they are 135cm tall or their 12th birthday, whichever is first.

Under new rules, backless booster seats or booster cushions will only be approved for use by children taller than 125cm and weighing more than 22kg.

Inspector Mark Pitt from the Cleveland and Durham Specialist Operations Unit, said: “Those who do not wear a seatbelt take an immeasurable risk with their own lives and the lives of others travelling in the vehicle.

Ron Hogg, Police, Crime and Victims’ Commissioner for County Durham and Darlington said: “All too often our road policing officers have to deal with crashes where wearing a seatbelt, or using the correct child car restraints, could have saved someone’s life."