MOTOR CAR (SEAT BELTS) REGULATIONS 2002
MOTOR CAR (SEAT BELTS) REGULATIONS 2002
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BR 54/2002
MOTOR CAR ACT 1951
1951 : 89
MOTOR CAR (SEAT BELTS) REGULATIONS 2002
The Minister of Transport, in exercise of the powers conferred on
him by section 102 of the Motor Car Act 1951, makes the following
Regulations:—
Short Title
1 These Regulations may be cited as the Motor Car (Seat Belts)
Regulations 2002.
Interpretation
2 In these Regulations —
"Act" means the Motor Car Act 1951;
"adult belt" means a seat belt fitted in a motor car and
comprised of a restraint system of a type marked or labelled
by the manufacturer of the motor car or the person who fitted
the seat belts in the motor car as suitable for use of persons
who are aged 14 years or more;
"child" means a person under the age of 14 years;
"child safety seat" means a seat or other device from the
manufacturer of the motor car or the manufacturer of the
child safety seat or such other device, marked or labelled as
suitable for a child and which is designed for the purpose of
securing a child and which either —
MOTOR CAR (SEAT BELTS) REGULATIONS 2002
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(a) can be fitted directly to a suitable anchorage on the seat
of a motor car; or
(b) can be used in conjunction with an adult belt and held
in place by the restraining action of that belt;
"front seat" means —
(a) in the case of a motor car with a forward-facing
passenger seat alongside the driver's seat, that seat and
where there is more than one such seat, the one furthest
from the driver's seat as well;
(b) in the case of a motor car with no forward-facing
passenger seat alongside the driver's seat, the forward-
facing passenger seat which is foremost in the motor car
and furthest from the driver's seat, unless there is a
fixed partition separating that seat from the space in
front of it alongside the driver's seat;
"motor car" does not include motor cycles;
"rear seat" in relation to a motor car means a seat other than the
driver's seat or a front seat;
"restraint system" means a system combining a seat fixed to the
structure of the motor car in question and a seat belt for
which at least one anchorage point is located on the seat
structure.
Seat belts
3 (1) For the purposes of section 20A of the Act, the description
of seat belt to be worn by an adult riding in the front seat of a motor car
is an adult belt.
(2) For the purposes of section 20B of the Act, the description
of seat belt to be worn by a child who is riding in a motor car ⎯
(a) if the child is an infant —
(i) is a rear-facing child safety seat; or
(ii) is a carry-cot restrained by an adult belt or
clipped or affixed to a stationary child safety
seat unit;
(b) if the child is a small child ⎯
(i) is a forward-facing child safety seat; or
(ii) is a booster seat used in conjunction with an
adult belt, if the child is more than thirty
pounds in weight; and
MOTOR CAR (SEAT BELTS) REGULATIONS 2002
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(c) if the child is a large child, is an adult belt.
(3) In this regulation⎯
"infant" means a child who is under the age of one year or
under twenty pounds in weight ;
"small child" means a child who weighs from twenty pounds
to forty pounds;
"large child" means a child whose weight is above forty
pounds.
Exemptions from seat belt requirement
4 (1) Section 20A does not require an adult who is riding in the
front seat of a motor car to wear a seat belt if ⎯
(a) he holds a medical certificate;
(b) he is driving a motor car which is constructed or
adapted for the delivery of goods or mail to persons or
addresses and is engaged in making rounds of deliveries
or collections;
(c) he is driving a motor car while it is being used for fire
service or police service purposes or for carrying a
person in lawful custody (and a person who is being so
carried or is responsible for securing that person is
included in this exemption);
(d) he is driving a motor car which is being used under a
trade licence for the purpose of testing the motor car or
investigating or remedying a mechanical fault in the
motor car;
(e) he is driving a motor car while it is taking part in a
procession, parade or similar event organised by or on
behalf of the Crown (and a person being driven in the
motor car is included in this exemption).
(2) Section 20B of the Act does not require a child who is riding
in a motor car to wear a seat belt if the child holds a medical certificate.
(3) In this regulation ⎯
"medical certificate" in relation to a person driving or riding
in a motor car means a valid certificate which is signed
by a registered medical practitioner and states that it is
inadvisable on medical grounds for the person to wear a
seat belt.
MOTOR CAR (SEAT BELTS) REGULATIONS 2002
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Made this 13th day of November, 2002.
Minister of Transport
