POLICE have issued a stark warning after ticketing 12 drivers for not wearing seatbelts.

Roads Policing Officers from West Yorkshire Police were out on patrol in the Guiseley, Yeadon and Otley as part of Operation SPARC on Monday.

This is an initiative that is run in collaboration with Leeds City Council and aims to make local streets safer by tackling the "Fatal 5" offences.

These are excess speed when driving, using a mobile phone behind the wheel, drink and drug driving, not wearing a seatbelt and careless driving.

Officers handed out 12 tickets to people caught driving without a seatbelt.

The Leeds North-West Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) issued a stark reminder on its Facebook page today, following this.

The post said: "In a crash, you’re twice as likely to die if you don’t wear a seat belt.

"Drivers and passengers aged 17-34 have the lowest seat belt-wearing rates, combined with the highest accident rate.

"People are less likely to use seat belts on short or familiar journeys, putting them at serious risk of injury in a crash."

Police also seized two vehicles and issued one ticket for no insurance while undertaking the operation on Monday.

One ticket was issued to someone for using a handheld device while driving, another for a bald tyre, and one for contravening a mandatory sign.