Seatbelt laws in Northern Ireland

Seatbelt laws in Northern Ireland

A MUST for every person in the car. This is serious stuff and rightly so the Police treat it as such.

Who needs to wear seatbelts

Back seat passengers need to wear them. Children up to 3 years old must be in an appropriate child seat. A child aged 3 – 12 over up to 1.35m tall must wear the appropriate child restraint. All others must wear the normal, adult seat belt.

For children up to the age of 14 the driver is responsible for the seatbelts. For passengers aged 14 and above the passenger is responsible.

You must wear a seatbelt in cars and goods vehicles where one is fitted. There are very few exceptions to this, please see below. The driver of the car is liable to prosecution if a child under 14 years does not wear a seat belt or child restraint.

If your car does not have seat belts in the back and you do not have appropriate child car seats, you cannot carry children.

Seatbelt laws for children:

• You must not carry an unrestrained child in the front seat of any vehicle.

• Children up to 135cms in height must use the appropriate child restraint when traveling in any car, van or goods vehicle – there are very few exceptions, see above.
• A child may use an adult belt when they reach 135cm or the age of 12.
• In buses and coaches with seat belts fitted, passengers aged 14 years and above must use them. Passengers on vehicles used as a local service on routes consisting of restricted roads or where provision has been made for standing passengers and the operator permits standing. are exempt.

Exceptions

For adults: only if seat belts are not fitted.

For children:

• if traveling in a taxi,
• if two child carseats are already fitted in the back seat and a third will not fit.

For more information you can visit Road Safely Northern Ireland

For those of you who are thinking of renting a car, the rental company can provide appropriate baby and child carseats for a small fee.

So.. if you are to drive to Northern Ireland, buckle up, folks…

Now you know you should wear your seatbelt, read drinking and driving in Northern Ireland.

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