Seat Belt Penalty Points Could Be Key to Changing Driver Behaviour, Says Enforcement Expert

Plans to introduce penalty points for drivers caught not wearing a seat belt could mark a major step forward for road safety — but only if backed by proper enforcement and education, according to a leading enforcement technology expert.

The Government’s newly published Road Safety Strategy has pledged to consult on adding penalty points for failing to wear a seat belt, as well as additional points for drivers who do not ensure child passengers are properly restrained.

Acusensus UK general manager and chair of ITS UK’s Enforcement Forum, Geoff Collins, has welcomed the proposals.

“This is important because up until now you could habitually choose not to wear a seat belt and if you get caught, you pay the fine and have no further sanction,” he said.

“But now, it will have an effect on your insurance cost and eventually lead to losing your licence — and that’s something that people will have to take notice of.”

Technology Reveals Scale of the Problem

Acusensus developed its “Heads-Up” detection technology, which uses specialist roadside cameras to see through windscreens and identify drivers not wearing seat belts or using mobile phones.

The scale of non-compliance is significant. Safer Roads Greater Manchester recorded 2,400 drivers not wearing a seat belt in just 51 days at a single location last year using the technology.

Meanwhile, research from Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS) found that in 2023, one in four car occupants killed in collisions in Great Britain — where seat belt status was known — were not wearing one.

Non-compliance is particularly common:

• Between 10pm and 4am
• At weekends
• Among male drivers aged 35 to 44
• Among rear-seat passengers, who are consistently less likely to buckle up than those in the front

“A Conscious Choice”

Collins stressed that failing to wear a seat belt is not a momentary lapse.

“It’s possible to go over the speed limit by a few miles an hour if you’re just keeping up with traffic or you’ve temporarily lost concentration,” he said. “But with a seat belt you have to actively choose not to put it on.”

He also highlighted the wider human cost of serious road collisions — not only for victims, but for families, friends, other road users and emergency services personnel.

“People seem to think they’re only harming themselves, but the emotional and societal impact is enormous,” he added.

Collins believes the combination of penalty points and visible enforcement technology could significantly reduce risky behaviour.

“The risk of penalty points, plus robust enforcement to spot non-compliance using technology such as ours, will definitely make a difference and save people from death or life-changing injuries in the event of a crash.”

As consultation begins, road safety campaigners will be watching closely to see whether tougher sanctions become a reality — and whether they succeed in driving lasting behaviour change.