PARENTS have come under heavy fire after it was revealed that more than half of children in Blackburn with Darwen are not wearing seatbelts in cars.

Safety experts say children are being put at risk of horrific injuries or even death if they are involved in a crash.

New research from the borough’s casualty reduction team has shown that 53 per cent of 10-year-olds do not belt up when travelling.

And the statistics have been backed by bosses at the Lancashire Partnership of Road Safety, which covers the whole county, who said there are not enough youngsters are belting up.

Former firefighter Steve Johnson, who leads the team, said the figures were a shock and showed the amount of work needed to get through to parents.

A series of events are now being planned in a bid to get the message through to families about how import wearing a seat belt is.

Mr Johnson said: “We have a big problem in this area with young people not wearing seat belts.

“My team has been working with primary schools across the borough on the importance of road safety and have been surprised by their attitude to seat belts.

“We have done a survey of over 1,800 10-year-olds and 954 said that they did not wear a seat belt. We are sure that statistic is repeated throughout the ages.

“The blame for this has to be with the parents. Either parents don’t enforce the need to belt up or the driver doesn’t make it happen.

“If you are not wearing a seat belt then you are four times more likely to die in a car crash.

“There is no sensible reason not to wear one.”

The Lancashire Partnership for Road Safety is backing the casualty reduction team in their campaign.

Linda Sanderson, communications manager for the partnership, said: “Your child is more likely to die if he or she is not wearing a seat belt and you have a crash.

“Even at low speeds like 30 mph, the impact on their unrestrained bodies causes horrific injuries to them and other occupants.

“No distance is too short for everyone to belt up, every time, even if you are in a hurry, or just nipping around the corner to school.”

Sgt Pete Sculpher, of the Eastern Division road policing unit, said: “The figures have come as a surprise because I thought we were getting the message across about seat belts.

“Children as young as year six are not wearing seatbelts and that is down to the parents. It is disgusting they are not being made to belt up.

“Seatbelts are vitally important because if you are involved in a crash it is not just your own life you are putting at risk, but those of other passengers who could be seriously injured if you are flung around.”

He said he would be meeting with council officials in the next week to discuss improving the figures through education.

Lancashire’s chief fire officer, Peter Holland, said his officers had seen first hand the importance of wearing seat belts.

He said: “It is inevitable that our emergency services personnel are first-hand witnesses to the effects of the non-wearing of seat belts. “Certainly, firefighters get a better insight than most into the consequences, in terms of their impact on casualties and their loved ones.

“It is important that the work from organisations such as the casualty reduction team is successful to ensure that more people are able to complete journeys on Lancashire's roads without incident.”

Mr Johnson said some of the reasons given by youngsters for not wearing a seat belt during the workshops had been laughable.

He said reasons had included “the belt creases my shirt”, “it’s uncomfortable”, “I forgot” and the most ironic being “it might hurt my shoulder if there was a crash”.

Mr Johnson added: “We have been working with schools to educate children on road safety and seat belts have become a major issue.

“The workshops in schools will continue. If parents are not educating their children on safety properly then we then we have to go straight to the children with the safety messages.”