THE deadly double act of speeding and driving without a seatbelt is being attacked by police in York.

A month-long blitz on perpetrators is being launched by the division's traffic unit on Sunday March 1 after a short sample operation revealed a high level of offending.

"People are dying on our roads because they are not wearing seatbelts," said Inspector Paul Bilton, head of the York traffic unit.

"People are dying because they drive too fast.

"It can't go on - we are going to act strongly and decisively."

So far this year there have been three accidents in York in which the driver of a car involved in a smash has died - and was not wearing a seatbelt.

These cases are all pending a formal inquest and so officers can't comment on the specifics of the crashes, but they have said that it is obviously much safer wearing a seatbelt.

Marked police cars and speed traps will be especially targeting speeders, as will hidden speed traps and plain cars carrying video speed recorders. Extra officers have also been drafted in to make sure the campaign has full impact.

Police chiefs say all officers will be particularly watching for drivers and passengers with no belts, and a series of special operations will be mounted to catch those gambling with their lives in this way.

In a recent seatbelt operation in York officers stopped 65 unbelted drivers in just three hours in Fulford Road.

"That is completely unacceptable," said Insp Bilton.

"We will be mounting a series of swoops designed to catch these idiots - and perhaps save their lives by doing it."

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