MORE than 100 drivers have been caught not wearing a seatbelt as part of police campaign to maximise safety on the roads.

The week-long operation saw 118 drivers stopped by officers after they, and four children, were found to be travelling in cars while not wearing a seatbelt.

Officers from the Cleveland and Durham Specialist Operations Unit carried out patrols around the region as part of an enforcement campaign by the European Traffic Police Network (Tispol) to reduce fatalities on the roads.

Inspector Mick Little, of the Cleveland and Durham Specialist Operations Unit, said: “It is unacceptable that people believe it is ok to drive whilst not wearing a seatbelt.

"We carry out these operations to maximise the safety of motorists and to prevent fatalities and serious injuries on our roads.

“Simply putting on a seatbelt can save the lives of the wearer and subsequently other people travelling in the same vehicle. Those who are found without a seatbelt will have to face the consequences.”