POLICE and councillors are targeting drivers in a safety campaign to crack down on motorists not wearing seat belts.

Motorists on roads close to schools were the recent targets of the Safer Roads Campaign by Buckinghamshire County Council road safety officers and Thames Valley Police.

Police and council officers carried out two visits to Rose Avenue, in Hazlemere on July 16 and Cressex Road, in High Wycombe, on July 19.

A total of 70 drivers were stopped and given leaflets and advice.

Three drivers were issued fixed penalty notices for other offences including tax evasion and use of a mobile phone while driving.

A total of 70 children up to 15 years old died and another 15,123 were injured as car passengers in the UK during 1999 as a result of not wearing a seat belt.

Police say that people are still not taking advice and many drivers still do not wear seat belts while on the school run, even though it puts children at a higher risk of danger in an accident. Many driversw say they are only going a short distance.

County Cllr Rodney Royston, cabinet member for planning and transportation, said: "The peak time for child passenger accidents is the morning and afternoon school run.

"A high percentage of accidents happen on short trips and seat belts must be worn on every trip. Back seat passengers are three times as likely to die or suffer serious injury in an accident while not wearing a seat belt."