A TEACHER was among 43 people ticketed for not wearing a seatbelt by Police watching the school run.

Dorset Police carried out a week-long crackdown outside 13 schools last week.

The operation was targeted at schools identified as having the lowest rates of seatbelt use.

Two tickets were issued to adults who had children in the car not wearing a seatbelt.

Four drivers were given a £60 fine and three penalty points for using a phone while driving and two were stopped for driving without insurance.

Chief Inspector Bob Nichols, from the force’s specialist operations unit, said: “This week of enforcement was an excellent opportunity to remind motorists of the importance of wearing a seat belt on every trip – especially given that nine more tickets were issued during this campaign than an earlier one held in June this year.

“As well as receiving a fine, the drivers stopped were given words of advice from officers about why wearing a seat belt is so significant.”

Robert Smith, Dorset County Council’s road safety team leader, said seat belt surveys earlier in the year showed the rate of seat belt wearing for children had increased from 90 per cent to 94 per cent.

“However it is disappointing that a number of parents are still not wearing their seat belts,” he added.

The fixed penalty for not wearing a seatbelt was increased from £30 to £60 earlier this year, and a fine of up to £500 can be imposed in court.