Always ask a lawyer if you are unsure about seat belt regulations in Scotland or any of the advice and information provided here.
If your vehicle has a seat belt then you should be wearing it. There are, exceptions. If reversing your vehicle then you don’t need to wear one and if you have a medical reason for not wearing one then, again, you don’t need to wear it. Seat belt regulations seem to have had a positive impact on the amount of fatal accidents that are recorded yearly however more and more research seems to point to concerns that they may cause injury, particularly to children in situations where they are not worn properly. The advice has to be to make sure your kids do not fool around with their belt as you never know when a moment of impact may occur.
If you are actually in the process of carrying out door to door deliveries you are exempt and if you drive a vehicle in excess of 3500kgs m.g.w you are exempt if there is no seat belt fitted to your vehicle. In this case, if there is a seat belt fitted, you must wear it. This relates to situations where you are stopping every 50 metres.
Same rules for passengers apply if you sit in a forward facing seat which has a seat belt fitted then you must wear it whether you are sitting in the front or rear. Lap belts or home made devices will not be accepted. Lap belts can be dangerous so you should avoid them where ever you can. If you have a certificate of exemption or if there is no seat belt available then you are exempt. In most cars, therefore, if there are 3 passengers sitting in the rear of the vehicle the middle seated passenger would be exempt from the need to wear a seat belt because there would not be one available.
Penalty
The fine is fixed under the fixed penalty notice system at £30. It is not endorseable so no points will be added to you driving licence.
