Devon and Cornwall Police is offering drivers and passengers with additional needs free seatbelt covers to help make communication easier after incidents, including road traffic collisions.

The seatbelt covers form part of a new Police initiative designed to assist people whose speech, language or communication needs could pose a barrier. The seatbelt cover can be personalised and wrapped around an adult seatbelt using Velcro. A card inside the seatbelt cover allows the user to add their name, age, address, medical conditions or other information about how they like to be communicated with.

In the event of an emergency, a first responder or a member of the public can look inside the seatbelt cover to get more information and understand how they can respond appropriately to a person’s individual needs to help make them feel safe again. There is also an option for the seat belt wearer to use the information card to point to a picture showing which part of the body they have injured.

An informative leaflet accompanies each seat belt, and there is a QR code which links to a video. The video and seatbelts were funded by Road Safety Partnership Vision Zero South West, and the accessible video also allows British Sign Language users to learn more about the project.

Alison Hernandez, Police & Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall & the Isles of Scilly, is also chair of the Vision Zero South West road safety partnership.

Commissioner Hernandez said: “Being involved in a serious collision is a traumatic experience for anyone, but for those with communication barriers, it can be particularly frightening.

“These carefully designed seatbelt covers help not only the casualties, but also emergency service staff or members of the public who are first on the scene at a collision.

“Through the fantastic post-collision work of Dr Tim Nutbeam and the EXIT project, we know that early extrication from a vehicle can mean the difference between life and death – so being able to communicate clearly with anyone trapped in a vehicle is vital.

“All Vision Zero South West partners have committed to halving the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads by 2030 – and eventually, to zero. Initiatives like this play a really important role in this ambition and I would urge anyone who wants one of these seatbelt covers to head to their local Police Enquiry Office.”

The useful packs have been distributed to each Police Enquiry Office (PEO) across Devon and Cornwall, so anyone who feels they may benefit from one can collect one during office opening hours. To check where your nearest PEO is, please check the Force website: Find a police station | Devon & Cornwall Police

Please note the offices are closed on Sundays and Bank Holidays, and this is a pilot project, so the number of seatbelts available is limited.

For more information about Vision Zero South West, please visit their website: Vision Zero - A collaborative road safety community project.

You can watch the video here https://youtu.be/_CRtjwAnKvM