Forty years after seatbelt laws were first introduced in Victoria, people still continue to be killed or injured on our roads unnecessarily through their lack of use.

It is undeniable that seatbelts save lives. Why is it then that Victoria Police still have to ''blitz'' the wearing of them?

Senior Sergeant Pat Cleary puts it down to ''laziness, ignorance, recklessness'' or perhaps a combination of all three.

''Ballarat still has too many people not wearing their seatbelts,'' the exasperated officer said after a weekend blitz.

On Sunday, police in Ballarat caught four motorists in less than an hour not wearing seatbelts _ an appalling average of one every 10 minutes.

That takes the total in Ballarat since the start of this current blitz to 16.

Victoria led the world in 1970 when it introduced legislation that required the compulsory wearing of seatbelts in vehicles.

At the time, more than 1000 people a year were dying on the state's roads. Last year, that figure was fewer than 300.

Since 1970, most western countries have seen the success of the laws in reducing the road toll and have followed Victoria's lead in introducing similar legislation.

Of course, there are other factors that have helped reduce the road toll from year to year, but road safety experts acknowledge that seat belts laws have made a major impact.

This applies to injuries sustained in crashes as well as deaths.

Yet it seems that, for some occupants at least, the life-saving potential of a seatbelt is not enough.

They are still prepared to take a chance, even with the stakes as high as they are.

Across Victoria, Operation Pinball has seen more than 560 drivers fined for not wearing a seat belt.

That's a lot of people apparently unconcerned for their own safety.

Perhaps the $239 fine and loss of three demerit points will make them think twice.