ONE in 13 young front seat vehicle passengers in England don't  wear a seat belt, new figures suggest.

Department for Transport (DfT) research conducted in autumn last year indicated 8.0 per cent of people estimated to be aged between 14 and 29 were not buckled up while sitting next to a driver.

That compares with 4.8 per cent of those aged 30 to 59, and 1.3 per cent of those aged 60 and over.

Across all ages, 4.8 per cent of front seat passengers were observed not being belted up, compared with 2.4 per cent of drivers.

Previous DfT figures show the proportion of car occupants killed in crashes on Britain's roads who were not wearing a seat belt was 21 per cent in 2022.

Research for the department also suggested 0.3 per cent of all vehicle drivers were seen using a hand-held mobile phone in autumn 2023.

AA president Edmund King called for "bold steps to eliminate road deaths".

He said: "The shocking fact that drivers and passengers alike are willing to travel in a moving car without a seat belt on is horrific."

The DfT pointed to campaigns, including its recent Think! road safety initiative which urged young men to wear a seat belt.