The fine for not wearing a seat belt is doubling to £60. The Department of Transport says that this is not about money and is all about saving lives.

According to official statistics, around 565 people killed each year in car accidents were not wearing their seatbelt and of these more than 300 would have been saved if they’d been belted in.

Last year some 235,000 fixed penalty notices were given out because the vehicle occupants were not wearing their seat belts - and a further 4,000 cases were heard in court.

In our view is it simply daft to not wear a seat belt. No matter what “non-users” say, they don’t restrict your ability to drive the car and what restrictions they do impose are surely small beer compared to the pain and suffering they undoubtedly save.

If you don’t believe me ask the doctors who end up piecing together the accident victims whose injuries are twice as serious because they weren’t belted in.

Or ask the families of the 300 people who would be with their families now if they had only worn their seat belt.

To re-coin an old phrase – “clunk click every trip”.