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It is the law to wear a seatbelt in a vehicle which has one fitted. Wear it properly to ensure it will work in an accident. Research has shown that those not wearing a seat belt are twice as likely to die in a crash.
Only one person must occupy one seat with one seat belt. Everyone over the age of 14 is responsible for wearing his or her own seatbelt.
Children must use a car seat until they are 135cm tall or 12 years old, which ever comes first.
Read more about child car seats on DVLA's website.
There are exemptions from wearing a seat belt when the following applies:
If you have a medical reason for not wearing a seat belt this will have been confirmed by your doctor.
In this case you will have a Certificate of Exemption from Compulsory Seat Belt Wearing. It is important that this document is kept in your vehicle as evidence for the police in the event of them stopping your vehicle.
You will also need to inform your vehicle insurers.
Use one seat belt for each person on one seat. Adjust the seat belt so that it fits snug to the body with no folds or twists.
The shoulder belt should lie across the chest and over the shoulder, avoiding the neck area.
The lap belt should be fitted low so that it reaches from one hip bone to another and should not go over the stomach.
Don't use any kind of padding or cushioning - adjust your seat or seat belts if you feel uncomfortable.
Ensure a minimum 25cm gap between your chest and the dashboard or center of the steering wheel.
You can only use a rear facing child car seat if the airbag has been deactivated.
A correctly adjusted head rest helps prevent whiplash - the top of your ears should be level with the top of the head rest and as close to your head as possible.
Seat belts can reduce injury to unborn children by up to 70% - however they may not be very comfortable when you are pregnant, so try these tips:
Disabled drivers and passengers must always wear a seat belt unless they are exempt from doing so on medical grounds. DVLA advise that you may need a specially adapted seat belt.
Don't carry any child under the age of three in a vehicle without seat belts. Children over three can only be seated in the back seats.
Last updated: Thursday 30th May 2019