U's winger Kevin McLeod was on hand on Thursday afternoon to help launch a new safety initiative for Essex County Council.

The former Swansea City man was helping the club back a campaign by the Essex Casualty Reduction Board, who are reminding drivers and their passengers to put on a seatbelt for every journey they make, no matter how short a distance they plan to travel.

Drivers who do not belt up will be issued a fixed penalty notice and could face a fine of £30 for any passengers under the age of 14 who are not wearing a seatbelt in their vehicle.

An awareness campaign will be running throughout September including messages on the radio and distribution of information.

Members of Essex County Council's Road Safety team and Essex Police will also be carrying out a series of enforcement and education days across the county.

An alarming number of motorists continue to ignore the dangers of not using seatbelts.

In May, roadside checks were held in Rochford over the course of three days and during that time 218 drivers were stopped for not wearing seatbelts.

If you are involved in a road accident when not wearing a seatbelt you have a greater chance of being seriously injured.

Additionally, your chances of receiving compensation could be reduced if you are in a crash, since insurance companies check police accident reports to see if seatbelts were being worn at the time of the incident.

Mark (surname withheld) was recently involved in an accident in which his car overturned. Fortunately, he was belted up and came out of the crash without even a scratch.

"Seeing the state of the car afterwards, it's amazing that I'm still in one piece," said Mark. "Seatbelts really are lifesavers, and I'm walking proof of it."

Norman Hume, Cabinet Member for Highways & Transportation, said: "There is no excuse for not belting up. Many accidents happen on local journeys, at low speed, and often on the school run.

"Through road safety education and police enforcement, we intend to reduce the number of casualties caused by non-compliance with the law."