Parents in County Durham are reminded seatbelts save lives.

Durham and Cleveland police are teaming up on an international saftey campaign.

The initiative will see officers stopping cars where the drivers or passengers aren't buckled up;

Particularly parents around drop off and pick up time.

A similar campaign in March this year saw 30 penalties issued across County Durham and Cleveland.

Under current legislation, drivers are responsible for ensuring that suitable safety restraints are worn by all passengers under 14 years old. Children must use an appropriate child car restraint for their weight until they are 135cm tall or 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 Wendy Tinkler from the Cleveland and Durham Specialist Operations Unit, said:

"If you travel in a vehicle and fail to wear a seatbelt you are putting yourself and potentially others at a hugely increased risk of serious injury or death.

"Our aim is to keep motorists and passengers as safe as we possibly can and to reinforce the message that children are especially vulnerable.

"We need to protect them in the right manner whenever they are travelling in a vehicle, no matter how short or familiar the journey might be.

"All too often our road policing officers have to deal with crashes where the simple act of wearing a seatbelt could have saved someone’s life.

"The action we are carrying out over the week should remind drivers they must belt up at the start of every journey."