PARENTS have been accused of putting their children's lives at risk by not ensuring they are properly belted up in the car.

During a week-long crackdown by Cleveland and Durham Police, a total of 142 people were found not to be wearing seatbelts.

Officers found five children travelling on the school run were not properly strapped in, including one child under the age of three.

Under current legislation, drivers are responsible for ensuring that suitable safety restraints are worn by all passengers under 14.

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

As seatbelts do not fit children correctly, an appropriate child car restraint is needed to offer the same level of protection as a seatbelt does for adults. Passengers over 14 years are responsible for wearing their own seatbelt and can therefore face prosecution.

Inspector Phil Grieve, from the Cleveland and Durham Specialist Operations Unit, said: “Putting your own safety at risk by not wearing a seatbelt is bad enough, however, when you take that risk with children who are especially vulnerable it is entirely unacceptable.

“It is beyond belief that despite our warnings, we are still seeing people who think it’s OK to risk their safety and the safety of others by not wearing a seatbelt. It takes just seconds to put a seatbelt on.

“We don’t want to have to tell anyone that their loved one has been killed in a collision where wearing a seatbelt could have saved them.

“The results of this campaign have highlighted the real dangers that people are putting themselves in and we will continue with these operations to ensure that we keep people as safe as we possibly can on our roads.”