Seat belts

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 that 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.

Key Facts regarding Seat Belts

Wearing a seat belt in the front seat saves over 2,500 lives every year. The law requires anyone in the front or back of a car to wear a seat belt or appropriate restraint, if one is available.

Most people in Lancashire automatically wear seat belts in the front of cars, but they are more likely to lapse when it comes to wearing rear seat belts despite the fact that back seat passengers not wearing seat belts are three times more likely to suffer death or serious injury as passengers who do.

The Excuses

1. 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.
2. A third of people say that belting up in the back doesn't occur to them and one in six say it is uncomfortable or they couldn't find the buckle.
3. One in 10 would be embarrassed to ask a friend to belt up if they were travelling as a passenger in their car.

Did you know that 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.

Such an impact could result in death or serious injury to both yourself and front seat occupants.

The price you pay for the non wearing of seatbelts

• It is estimated that some 40 front seat passengers die each year as a result of being hit by a back seat passenger not wearing their seat belt.
  
• A Transport Research Laboratory study revealed that only 54% of adult passengers wear seat belts in the back of the car compared with 94% of passengers in the front.
  
• Since seat belt wearing was made compulsory in 1983, it is estimated that casualties have been reduced by at least 370 deaths and 7,000 serious injuries per year for front seat passengers and in excess of 70 deaths and 11,000 serious injuries for rear seat belt wearers.
  
• The penalty for not wearing a rear seat belt is a fixed fine of £30, or if the case goes to court, a maximum fine of £500.

The Seat Belt Laws

The Laws governing the use of child car seats came into force on 18 September 2006 effecting every car journey that all children under 12 years old make.Click here for an explanation of the changes and how they affect you.

Been caught speeding?
Learn the facts about speed cameras in our area... click here