Police officers in Northamptonshire and East Midlands catch more than 40 lorry drivers without seatbelts

Police officers caught more than 40 lorry drivers without seatbelts during a four-day operation in the East Midlands

Police officers patrolled the motorway and A1 in Northamptonshire. Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire in an unmarked HGV ‘tractor unit’ as part of the ongoing 'Fatal 4' campaign, which targets drink-driving, speeding, not wearing a seatbelt and using a mobile phone at the wheel.

A total of 41 vehicles were stopped.

PC Brian Avann, a Tactical Roads Policing Team (TRPT) officer said: “'The HGV gives us an ideal viewing platform to observe drivers' actions from a high vantage point.

"I am disappointed that so many professional drivers continue to drive without a seatbelt.

"Just because the driver is high up in a lorry cab does not mean they are safe and we want to encourage all lorry drivers to use their seatbelt every time they get in the cab. The aim of our campaign is to improve driver behaviour and make our road network a safer place for everyone.”

EMOpSS officers in unmarked and marked vehicles stayed in radio contact with the officers in the HGV and pulled over motorists who were seen from the height of the tractor unit committing one of the fatal four offences.

The HGV tractor unit is owned by Highways England and is used by police forces across the country and will be used again in the East Midlands in the future.

The penalty for not wearing a seatbelt is a Â£100 fine and for driving while using a mobile phone it is a Â£200 fine and six points on the driving license.