Thank you for contacting me about seat belts.
Cars manufactured since 1965 have been required to have seat belts installed and it has been a legal requirement for drivers and front seat passengers to wear them since 1983. Since 1989, it has been a legal requirement for children to wear seat belts in the backseat and for adults in the backseat to wear them since 1991.
Under Section 15 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, drivers can be fined up to £500 if a child under 14 isn’t in the correct car seat or wearing a seat belt while driving. Children up to 135 centimetres tall and under 12 years old must wear child restraints.
It is not necessary to wear a seat belt if:
· reversing, or supervising a learner driver who is reversing
· in a vehicle being used for police, fire and rescue services
· a passenger in a trade vehicle and investigating a fault
· driving a goods vehicle on deliveries that is travelling no more than 50 metres between stops
· a licensed taxi driver who is ‘plying for hire’ or carrying passengers
A doctor may provide a medial exemption from wearing a seatbelt in the form of a ‘Certificate of Exemption from Compulsory Seat Belt Wearing’. Once acquired, it is necessary to:
· keep the certificate in the vehicle
· show the certificate to police if stopped
You’ll also need to tell your vehicle insurer.
I understand why some local authorities have chosen to use seat belt buckle guard devices to try and keep children safe. However, there are potential safety issues in the event of an emergency. For this reason, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) sent two direct notices to Public Service Vehicle (PSV) operators to highlight the potential issues.
The DVSA has stated that fitting buckle guards to a seat belt breaches the Road Vehicle (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, regulation 48 (4).
This is a complicated matter and the DVSA has no plans to target enforcement action against their use. The DVSA will instead support PSV operators and other transport providers and work with industry to develop new solutions.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.