Seat belt wearing saves over 2,000 lives every year. Everyone knows they should wear a seat belt in the front seat, but many people still don’t realise how dangerous it is not to wear a seat belt in the back.
In a crash at 30mph, if you are unrestrained, you will hit the front seat, and anyone in it, with a force of between 30 and 60 times your own body weight.
This could result in death or serious injury to you and people sitting in the front seat.
Any compensation for injury following an accident may be reduced if you were not wearing a seat belt.
UK LAW
For your own and others’ safety, the law requires you to use a seatbelt if one is fitted and for children up to 135cms in height to use a child restraint.
The law
In law:
- You must wear a seat belt in cars and goods vehicles where one is fitted. There are very few exceptions to this. The driver is liable to prosecution if a child under 14 years does not wear a seat belt or child restraint.
- You must not carry an unrestrained child in the front seat of any vehicle.
- Children up to 135cms in height must use the appropriate child restraint when travelling in any car, van or goods vehicle – there are very few exceptions.
- A child may use an adult belt when they reach 135cm or the age of 12.
- In buses and coaches with seat belts fitted, passengers aged 14 years and above must use them. Passengers on vehicles used for public fare-paying passengers on 30mph roads are exempt.
The law is summarised in the table below.
| Front seat | Rear seat | Who is responsible | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driver | Seat belt must be worn if fitted | Driver | |
| Child under 3 years of age | Correct child restraint must be used | Correct child restraint must be used. If one is not available in a taxi, may travel unrestrained | Driver |
| Child from 3rd birthday up to 135cms in height (approx 4’5″) (or 12th birthday, whichever they reach first) | Correct child restraint must be used | Correct child restraint must be used where seat belts fitted. Must use adult belt in rear seat if correct child restraint not available:- in a taxi; or - for a short distance in an unexpected necessity; or - if two occupied child restraints prevent fitting of a third |
Driver |
| Child 12 or 13, or over 135cms (approx 4ft 5ins) in height | Adult seat belt must be worn if available | Adult seat belt must be worn if available | Driver |
| Adult passengers | Seat belt must be worn if available | Seat belt must be worn if available | Passenger |
Which vehicles does the law affect
All vehicles where seat belts are fitted, including vans and other goods vehicles, buses, minibuses and coaches.
What if there are not enough seat belts available?
Seat belt wearing law does not prevent you from carrying more adult passengers than there are seat belts. However, children up to 135cms in height must have child restraints with few exceptions. Nevertheless, the way in which passengers are carried must not cause danger to any person in the vehicle. Do not overload a vehicle. If you have adult passengers without a seat belt remember that they can cause injury to others in an accident.
Children 3 years and over can only travel in the back of a vehicle without seat belts (e.g. a classic car) and those under 3 years cannot be carried at all.
Posted by Safety Rep
in Road Safety
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