Seatbelt campaign catches 3,500

Police regularly stop and fine people who fail to wear seat belts

More than 3,500 people were caught not wearing seatbelts in the Thames Valley in the last six months, police said.

The release of the figures coincides with the start of a "shocking" new television advertising campaign.

The advert, which is backed by Thames Valley Police, shows graphic images of a car crash and the injuries sustained by someone not strapped in.

Supt Mick Doyle said: "Not wearing a seatbelt is like playing Russian roulette with your life."

"Only this week we have attended a fatal motorway crash and given evidence in an inquest on another road death, where in both cases the victim would almost certainly have survived if they had worn their seatbelts," he said.

"Our research in the Thames Valley suggests two thirds of those who die whilst unrestrained would have survived the crash had they been wearing a seatbelt."

The Department for Transport said it's new £2.6m advertising campaign was so realistic and hard-hitting the full television advert can only be shown after 9pm.