Insertion In php not working -

i have php script inserts data form database.the code returns error. might problem. nb: names of fields in form correctly matched.

<?php  $db_hostname = 'localhost'; $db_database = 'townmanagement'; $db_username = 'root'; $db_password = '';  // connect server. $db_server = mysql_connect($db_hostname, $db_username, $db_password) or die("unable connect mysql: " . mysql_error());  mysql_select_db($db_database) or die("unable select database: " . mysql_error());  // values form $fname= mysql_escape_string(trim ($_post['fname'])); $lastname= mysql_escape_string(trim ($_post['lname'])); $dpt=mysql_escape_string(trim($_post['dpt'])); $user= mysql_escape_string(trim ($_post['username'])); $psswd=mysql_escape_string(trim ($_post['password']));    // insert data mysql $sql="insert staff_reg (fname, lname, dpt, username, password, registration_date) values ($fname, $lastname, $dpt, $user, sha1($password), now())"; $result = mysql_query($sql);   if($result){ echo ("successful"); } else { echo "error";; }  ?>  <?php // close connection mysql_close(); ?> 

you need quote parameters in sql statement

  $sql="insert staff_reg (fname, lname, dpt, username, password, registration_date) values ('$fname', '$lastname', '$dpt', '$user', sha1('$password'), now())"; 

and if possible should upgrade mysqli or pdo.