Pregnant passenger thought seatbelt would 'harm baby' Published duration 23 October 2010

A pregnant woman smoking in a car told police she wasn't wearing a seatbelt in case it harmed her baby, safety campaigners have revealed.

The Dorchester woman, a passenger in the vehicle, was among 15,000 people caught flouting the law in Dorset between January and September.

The findings have since been released from Dorset Road Safety Partnership's 'No Excuse' campaign.

Just under 2,500 drivers or passengers were caught not wearing a seatbelt.

Figures also showed almost 1,000 used mobile phones while driving.

'Careless practices'

Elsewhere a driver in Poole told officers she was still in control of her vehicle despite having both hands "waving wildly" about in the car as she tried to shoo a fly out.

And In west Dorset, a JCB driver told officers he should be let off for using his mobile phone as he was driving slowly.

Other transgressions included 14 drivers who jumped a red light, 22 motorists whose number plates were illegal, 38 people driving without insurance and 144 whose vehicle had no MOT.

Chief Inspector Robert Nichols, head of special operations at Dorset Police, said: "The project is designed to make Dorset's roads safer for us all.

"Unfortunately, a significant number of drivers continue to put themselves and others at risk though selfish or careless practices."