THE change in the law, making use of hand-held mobile phones while driving an endorsable offence, appears to be having some success.

However, the number of people who fail to wear seatbelts is very worrying, even though some hard-hitting safety campaigns on TV have illustrated quite graphically the immense dangers.

Parents who fail to ensure their children are wearing seatbelts, or strapped into car seats, is even more perturbing.

Perhaps, those caught not wearing seatbelts in accidents might be considered so negligent that costs of NHS treatment could be recovered from them.

I accept this is a contentious and a real legal minefield, but possibly deserves consideration.

Having worked in the loss adjustment department of an insurance company for many years, I knew of cases where insurance costs for motorists involved in accidents were withheld due to serious breaches of the agreed cover. Indeed, much work goes on behind the scenes' between insurance companies after motoring claims.

Some motorists, involved in serious accidents, may receive letters from solicitors engaged by injured parties alleging negligent driving, which are passed on to the motorist's insurance company, and this claim may involve payment of various expenses, including medical attention.

Quite incredibly, it is estimated that 6% of drivers on our roads drive without any insurance. Claiming medical costs (indeed, any costs) from such drivers would be a nightmare.

Law-abiding motorists actually pay extra premiums for insurance (between £30-£40 per policy and increasing) to pay for those who choose not to insure themselves, because a levy is paid each year by insurers to the Motor Insurers' Bureau to administer the UK National Guarantee Fund that compensates victims of accidents caused by uninsured drivers.

In 1991 the annual levy was £49 million, and by 2008 it could be as high as £300 million.

MARK THOMAS, Web Tree Avenue, Hereford