Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Bristol Post
Bristol Post
National
Heather Pickstock

The rules around wearing seatbelt after PM Rishi Sunak fined for not belting up

Drivers and motorists who fail to buckle up and wear a seatbelt while in a car could face a fine of up to £500. The law currently states that you must wear a seatbelt if one is fitted in the seat you are using, with only a few exceptions in place.

Those caught not wearing their seatbelt will be issued a fixed penalty notice of £100. However the penalty could rise to up to £500 if the matter goes to court.

The reminder comes after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was fined by police after he posted a video on Instagram showing him not wearing a seatbelt. Downing Street said the PM will pay the fine and ‘fully accepts this was a mistake and has apologised.”

Read more: Council hopes Harry Styles will be interested in rare number plate up for auction

It is not yet known the level of the fine Mr Sunak will receive, as he has yet to receive it. Downing Street said the PM had made a "brief error of judgement" by removing his seatbelt as he recorded a video to promote levelling up funding as he visited Lancashire on Thursday.

Mr Sunak was criticised after uploading the footage to his official Instagram account, which has 1.3million followers. He was forced to make an embarrassing apology for the gaffe.

Lancashire Constabulary, who issued the fixed penalty notice, said: "You will be aware that a video has been circulating on social media showing an individual failing to wear a seatbelt while a passenger in a moving car in Lancashire.

"After looking into this matter, we have today (Friday, January 20) issued a 42-year-old man from London with a conditional offer of fixed penalty."

The rules surrounding seatbelts

You must wear a seatbelt if one is fitted in the seat you’re using - there are only a few exceptions. You’re also only allowed one person in each seat fitted with a seatbelt.

Passengers caught failing to wear a seatbelt when one is available can be fined £100. You can be fined up to £500 if you don’t wear a seatbelt when you’re supposed to.

Children

You must make sure that any children in the vehicle you’re driving are:

  • in the correct car seat for their height or weight until they reach 135 centimetres tall or their 12th birthday, whichever is first

  • wearing a seat belt if they’re 12 or 13 years old, or younger and over 135cm tall

You can be fined up to £500 if a child under 14 isn’t in the correct car seat or wearing a seatbelt while you’re driving.

When you don't need to wear a seatbelt

You don’t need to wear a seatbelt if you’re:

  • a driver who is 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 you’re 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

Medical exemptions

Your doctor may say you don’t have to wear a seatbelt for a medical reason. They’ll give you a ‘Certificate of Exemption from Compulsory Seatbelt Wearing’. You must:

  • keep this in your vehicle

  • show it to the police if you’re stopped

You’ll also need to tell your car insurer. Talk to your doctor for more information and read ‘medical exemptions from compulsory seat belt wearing’ .

Wearing a seatbelt while pregnant

You must wear a seatbelt if you’re pregnant, unless your doctor says you don’t have to for medical reasons.

Wearing a seatbelt if you’re disabled

You must wear a seatbelt if you’re a disabled driver or passenger, unless you don’t have to for medical reasons. You may need to adapt your vehicle.

If your vehicle doesn’t have seatbelts

If your vehicle doesn’t have seatbelts, for example it’s a classic car, you aren’t allowed to carry any children under three years old in it. Children over three are only allowed to sit in the back seats. These rules only apply if your vehicle was originally made without seatbelts.

READ NEXT

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.