Policy Statements - Seat Belts
Any person, whilst travelling in a vehicle, front or back,
must wear a seat belt or appropriate restraint if available.
The wearing of such restraints will greatly increase your
chances of survival, should the vehicle in which you are travelling
is involved in a crash.
(See separate policy for Child
Restraints)
The Problem:
Lives Lost
• Car occupants form 64% of all road casualties.
• In the UK during 2000, 206,799 people were killed or
injured while travelling in cars.
Of these, 181,093 (87%) were drivers or front seat passengers.
Not Belting Up
• Despite continued advertising about the dangers of
not wearing a seat belt, a core
12% of the U.K's28 million drivers still fail to belt up for
every journey.
• Women (91%) are more conscientious than men (85%) at
belting up.
• Almost a third (32%) of people questioned don't always
belt up in the back of the car
and one in ten never bother.
The Excuses
• The most common reason for not belting up is because
people say they forget and
one in six say they don't bother if they are only going a
short distance.
• A third of people say that belting up in the back doesn't
occur to them and one in six
say it's uncomfortable or they couldn't find the buckle. One
in twenty don't buckle up in
the back because they feel safer.
• One in ten would be embarrassed to ask a friend to
belt up if they were travelling as a
passenger in their car.
Taxis
• Nearly a third rarely or never belt up in the back
of a taxi.
The Law:
• Drivers and front seat passengers in cars must wear
a seat belt, unless they have a medical exemption certificate.
• Children under the age of 14, travelling in the rear
of a car, which has appropriate restraints must belt up.
• Adults travelling in the rear of a car must also use
seat belts, if they are fitted. It is the
responsibility of the adult passenger (not the driver) to
ensure that they are using the
seat belt.
What the Highway Code Tells Us:
|
Front Seat
(all vehicles) |
Rear Seat
(car & small minibus) |
Whose Responsibility |
| Driver |
Must be worn
if fitted |
|
Driver |
| Child
Under 3 Years of Age |
Appropriate
child restraint must be worn |
Appropriate
child restraint MUST be worn.
If one is not available in a taxi they may travel unrestrained |
Driver |
| Child
from 3rd birthday up to 135cms in height (or 12th birthday
whichever they reach first) |
Appropriate
child restraint MUST be worn if available. |
Appropriate
child restraint MUST be worn if available.
They must use adult belt in rear seat of not available
-
- in a taxi
- for a short distance in an unexpected necesity
- if two occupied child restraints prevent fitting a
third |
Driver |
| Child
Aged 12 or 13 or over 135cms in height |
Adult seat
belt or child restraint MUST be worn if available |
Adult seat
belt or child restraint MUST be worn if available |
Driver |
| Passengers
Over the Age of 14 |
Adult seat
belt MUST be worn if available |
Adult seat
belt MUST be worn if available |
Passenger |
When Is It Permissible NOT To Wear
A Seatbelt?
• If a valid medical certificate is held (see below)
• When reversing
• When accompanying a learner driver who is reversing
a vehicle
• When a driving test examiner (not instructor) is
conducting a test and finds that wearing a belt would cause
danger to himself or any other person
• When driving or riding in a fire brigade or police
vehicle
• If licensed as a taxi driver and driver seeking hire.
answering a call for hire, or carrying a passenger for hire
• If a private hire driver is driving a passenger for
private hire purposes
• If riding in a vehicle being road tested on trade
plates in connection with its' maintenance
• If registered as disabled and wearing a disabled
person's seat belt
• When riding in a vehicle in a procession organised
for the Crown or to commemorate an event which is customarily
held in the area
Our Advice:
No matter how long or short your journey, ensure that you
and all other occupants of your
vehicle wear a seat belt.
Although it is not necessarily your responsibility as driver
of the vehicle, we advise that you
ask everyone to "belt-up". You may be saving their
life.
Regularly check your vehicle's seat belts are in good working
order. If you have difficulty in
operating any belt in your car, or should the belt itself
be frayed or damaged, get it repaired
or replaced immediately.
|
