Safer Roads : The Law : Wearing a seat belt saves lives

For your own and others' safety, the law requires you to use a seat belt if one is fitted.

Seat belt wearing in the front seat saves over 2,200 lives every year. Everyone knows they should wear a seat belt in the front seat, but many people still don't realise how dangerous it is not to wear a seat belt in the back.

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.

This could result in death or serious injury to you and people sitting in the front seat.

Any compensation for injury following an accident may be reduced if you were not wearing a seat belt.

What if there are not enough seat belts available?

Seat belt wearing law currently does not prevent you from carrying more passengers than there are seat belts and restraints, but the way in which passengers are carried must not cause danger to any person in the vehicle. Do not overload the vehicle. If you have to choose who rides without a belt or child restraint, remember that heavier passengers can cause greater injury to others in an accident than lighter passengers can.

Remember that if an adult belt or child restraint is not available in the front, children can only travel in the back.

Never put the same seat belt around two children, or around yourself and another passenger (adult or child). Do not allow your child to move up to using the adult belt too early

The lap strap should go across the hips, fitting comfortably under the bump, while the diagonal strap should be placed between the breasts and around the bump.

Like all drivers or passengers, pregnant women must wear a seat belt, unless their doctor certifies that they are medically exempt - there is no automatic exemption. Wearing one may not be comfortable, but it improves safety for both mother and unborn baby.

Studies show that airbags reduce severe head injuries in accidents. However airbags are not substitutes for seat belts - they are designed to work with them. Given the speed and force with which an airbag inflates, it is vitally important that you always wear your seat belt and that you do not sit too close to the steering wheel or dashboard. We recommend that the distance between the centre of the steering wheel to your breastbone should be at least 10 inches (25cm). However airbags are not substitutes for seat belts - they are designed to work with them. Given the speed and force with which an airbag inflates, it is vitally important that you always wear your seat belt and that you do not sit too close to the steering wheel or dashboard. In the US and Canada, where they have had experience of airbags for many years, they advise that the distance between the centre of the steering wheel to your breastbone should be at least 10 inches (25cm). However, airbag systems differ from car to car, therefore always check and follow specific advice from the manufacturer or in the owner's hand book. This is particularly important in relation to children and frontal airbags.