§ Mr. SheermanTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many prosecutions there have been in each of the last 10 years for carrying children unprotected in the front or back seats of cars. [56106]
§ Mr. Bob AinsworthI have been asked to reply.
Information held centrally does not distinguish between the offence of carrying in a motor vehicle a child not wearing a seat belt and the offence of not wearing a seat belt.
Available information is given in the table. As the majority of seat belt offences are dealt with by the issue of a fixed penalty notice these are also included, along with the number of written warnings.
Driving or riding in a motor vehicle while not wearing a seat belt1: England and Wales 1991–2000 Number of prosecutions Number of fixed penalties Written warnings Total dealt with 1991 12,156 2— 2— 2— 1992 11,258 102,322 3,214 116,794 1993 9,687 106,153 4,839 120,679 1994 8,715 114.712 6,945 130,372 1995 8,574 126,251 8,923 143,748 1996 8,530 154,345 9,312 172,187 1997 8,180 175,334 14,300 197,814 1998 8,303 193,879 10,891 213,073 1999 6,874 180,698 9,205 196,777 2000 5,740 155,301 6,163 167,204 1Offences under sections 14(3), 15(2) and 15(4) of the Road Traffic Act 1988. 2Not available.