Thousands of drivers have been fined up to £500 for not having children properly strapped
into cars – and the UK is braced for peak prosecution season.

That’s according to new research from Select Car Leasing which looked at offences involving youngsters either not wearing seatbelts or not being secured in a proper car seat.

Each year, around 3,500 drivers are snared for failing to ensure minors are buckled up, with the offence attracting a £100 fine (rising to £500 if contested in court) if a child under 14 is not in the correct car seat or wearing a seat belt.

New stats – uncovered by Select Car Leasing via a Freedom of Information request to UK police forces – also show how prosecutions spike dramatically in the spring and summer months.
Prosecutions consistently increase by around 20 per cent in the months spanning April to August.

Overall, a whopping 11,164 fines have been issued to motorists in the past three years alone for failing to secure children under the age of 14 correctly in cars.

Now Graham Conway, Managing Director at Select Car Leasing, is urging parents to keep their loved ones safe while travelling.

He explains: “The spring and summer peak in seatbelt and car seat-related motoring prosecutions should make all parents sit up and take notice as we head into the warmer months of the year.

“It’s unclear why the offences spike as the mercury rises, but it’s likely a combination of things; more journeys being made with children during the holiday period, seasonal police clamp-downs, and youngsters perhaps feeling uncomfortable wearing a seatbelt when the temperature rises.

“What is clear, however, is that fines are steep, with drivers hit with a charge of up to £500 if a child under the age of 14 isn’t properly restrained.

“The accident risk of a child not wearing a seatbelt is also alarming, with the latest Department for Transport road casualty stats showing how 25 percent of all car occupant fatalities involved someone not wearing a seat belt.

“A proper car seat and/or seatbelt can be the difference between life and death in the event of an accident.”

Prosecutions by year

In 2022, there were 3,447 fines issued to motorists for failing to have a child safely buckled up, which increased to 3,808 in 2023. In 2024, this decreased slightly to 3,509 fines issued for these offences. In just the first three months of 2025, an additional 393 fines have been issued.

· 2022: 3,447 fines
· 2023: 3,808 fines
· 2024: 3,509 fines