We are hiring! Are you an experienced technician? Join our outstanding team »

UK Seat Belt Law Explained

Reading time 8 minutes • Last updated on February 16th, 2024

Categories Driving Law »

UK Seat Belt Law Explained

Last updated on February 16th, 2024What does this mean?

In the first of our UK Driving Laws series, we’re tackling UK seat belt law, giving you all the information you need to protect yourself and other passengers from harm.

A 2009 study showed that roughly 400 people were killed in collisions a year because they weren’t wearing seat belts, and a more recent survey has shown that motorists between 17 and 34 year old have the lowest compliance rate, with millions still flouting the rules – a shocking statistic considering that a seat belt can half the likelihood of death in a road accident.

UK Seat Belt Law Overview

UK seat belt law infographic

Who Is Responsible for Seat Belts? Is It Driver’s Responsibility?

Seat belt responsibility in general is down to the adults in the vehicle. If the passenger is a child, then it is the responsibility of the driver to ensure that they’re wearing a seatbelt. If the passenger is an adult, then it is their responsibility to ensure they’re wearing a seatbelt at all times.

Minibus, Bus and Coach UK Seat Belt Law

Any adult passenger travelling by minibus, bus or coach is required to wear a seat belt if they are fitted. This is the responsibility of the passenger, and so it is they who will be prosecuted if caught. There are different rules for children travelling by these methods of transport, which we’ll discuss later on in this article.

Taxi Passenger Seat Belt Law in the UK

Believe it or not, according to taxi passenger seat belt law in the UK, taxi drivers are not legally required to wear a seatbelt if they are carrying paying passengers or ‘plying for hire’ – this means driving around, looking for people trying to flag down a cab. Private hire taxis – taxis that run on a pre-booking basis – cannot ‘ply for hire’ and must only pick up passengers that have booked a journey. 

UK Rear Seat Belt Law: Is It Compulsory to Wear Seat Belts in the Back of a Car?

Rear seat belt law in the UK states that adults must be wearing a seat belt in the back of a car, unless they are medically exempt. It is the responsibility of the adult passenger to ensure they are wearing a seat belt. 

Exceptions: When Is It Acceptable to Travel in a Car Without Wearing a Seat Belt? 

There are some exceptions from wearing seat belts for adults; both for medical and non-medical reasons. You are exempt from wearing a seat belt:

  • If you are a driver reversing a car
  • If you are supervising a learner driver reversing a car
  • If you are driving a goods vehicle and travelling no more than 50 metres between deliveries
  • If you are a passenger in a trade vehicle and you are investigating a potential fault with the vehicle
  • In a vehicle used for police, fire and rescue services

It is also acceptable for a passenger to travel in a car without wearing a seat belt if you are medically exempt. Your doctor will supply you with a ‘Certificate of Exemption from Compulsory Seat Belt Wearing’. Keep the certificate in your vehicle and show it to the police if they stop you. Ensure you inform your insurance company about the exemption, too. 

If you are pregnant or disabled, you must wear a seatbelt unless medically exempt.

The Dangers of Not Wearing Seat Belts

Not wearing a seatbelt is perhaps one of the most reckless and dangerous actions a driver or passenger of a vehicle can commit, and not only does this action put their own life at risk, it endangers the lives of others.

The most common injuries in front on collisions for those not wearing seat belts are to the head, chest and abdomen, causing internal bleeding, fractured and broken ribs and traumatic brain injuries ranging from concussions to impaired cognitive functioning. Medical figures show that over half of all reported traumatic brain injuries are caused by brains colliding against the skull or windshield during a car crash.

40,000 people die each year in car crashes, making road collisions the leading cause of death for people under the age of 35, and simply wearing a seatbelt could have prevented half of these deaths.

The Law for Children’s Seat Belts

Children under 3

Height-based seats must be rear-facing until the child reaches 15 months of age, while weight-based car seats can be facing forward once the child reaches 9kg.

Car seats should not be fitted in side-facing seats, and when fitted to a front seat the airbags on that side of the vehicle must be deactivated – it is illegal for a rear-facing child seat to be placed in the front seat if there is an airbag active.

A child under 3 years old may travel unrestrained in a taxi or private hire car under the circumstances that there is a fixed partition separating the front and back seats of the vehicle, there are no child restraints available and the journey was unexpected.

Children aged 3 to 11 years old and under 135cm tall

Children in vehicles must be sat in the correct booster seat for their size until they reach 135cm in height or 12 years of age, whichever comes first. Booster seats used within the UK must be EU-approved, shown on the label by a letter ‘E’ encased in a circle.

There are a few exceptions to the rules, in which a child may wear a seat belt if a child seat is not present:

  • In the back seats of taxi or private hire vehicle
  • If a short, unexpected journey is deemed necessary
  • If there are two child restraints in the back seats already in use, in which case there is not enough space for a third to be fitted.

Minibus, Bus & Coach Seat Belt Laws for Children

All children must travel in rear seats of a bus or minibus – that is, any seat behind the driver – if there is not a seat belt fitted on the front seats.

When sitting in the rear seats of minibuses, it is the driver’s responsibility to ensure that children under 3 years old are wearing an appropriate restraint, children aged 3-12 years old and under 1.35 metres tall use a restraint if available, a seat belt if not, and that all other children under 14 years old are using the provided seat belts.

For larger minibuses and coaches, there are currently no legal obligations for children under the age of 14 to wear seat belts, although it is highly recommended.

At What Age Are You Responsible for Your Own Seat Belt?

14 is the age at which you are responsible for wearing your own seat belt. The driver of the vehicle is responsible for ensuring anyone under the age of 14 is wearing a seat belt.

Repercussions and Criminal Offences. What is the Fine for not Wearing a Seat Belt?

The penalty for failing to wear a seat belt as a driver or passenger is a £100 fine, and if the case is taken to court, this could be increased to up to £500. The same fines apply if you are the driver of a vehicle carrying child passengers who aren’t wearing the appropriate child car seats.

Having these penalties on your record may affect any claims against your car insurance, even voiding the cover in some cases, meaning that you will be responsible for covering any damages or costs yourself.

Penalty points are also issued for failing to wear a seat belt; three penalty points for drivers not wearing seat belts or carrying child passengers who aren’t wearing seat belts and two points are applied to passengers’ licences if they are over the age of 14 and are not wearing a seat belt.

What to Do if Your Vehicle Doesn’t Have Seat Belts

You are only permitted to drive a car without seatbelts if the vehicle was originally made without seatbelts – a vintage car, for example. Additionally, if your vehicle has no seat belts, you are not allowed to carry children under 3 years of age in it. Children over three years old are only allowed to sit in the back seats of vehicles without seat belts.

The Windscreen Company perform full windscreen repairs and windscreen replacements for any number of vehicles, including trucks, vans, agricultural vehicles and plants. Whether you need a single windscreen repaired or an entire fleet inspection, we can help. Get in contact today to find out more.

All statistics and figures were taken from independent research not carried out by The Windscreen Company and were correct at the date of publishing.

More info:

Gov.uk

RoSPA

+ posts

The Windscreen Company, has over 20 years of experience in windscreen repair and replacement. Since 1998, they have been at the forefront of industry innovation, leveraging the latest technology to ensure customer safety and satisfaction.

The Windscreen Company's, help-and-advice pages offer valuable tips and guidance on maintaining vehicle safety through quality windscreen care, while also featuring updated industry realted content.

The information within this article was accurate on the date the article was last updated based on the information that was openly available on the topic online. The Windscreen Company accepts no liability for any loss or damage caused by or connected with any error or omission in this article. You should make your own judgement in regards to use of this document and seek professional advice on your particular circumstances.

Request a Callback Just fill in your details below and we'll get back to you as soon as we can!

    Contact Details

    Next

    Please fill in all required fields

    Vehicle Details

    Why do we ask this?

    The vehicle reg number helps us understand the exact requirements of your vehicle and provide you with an accurate quote

    Back

    Please fill in all required fields

    Explore more topics

    Search our resources

    © The Windscreen Company 2024. All Rights Reserved.
    The Windscreen Company is a registered company in England. Registered Number: 3545701 VAT Number: 720 0628 78

    Adtrak Logo

    Top

    By clicking "Accept All Cookies", you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyse site usage, assist in our marketing efforts, and for personalised advertising.

    More Information Accept All Cookies