When you need to wear your seat belt
You must wear a seat belt if you’re driving or a passenger in:
- cars
- small goods vehicles such as a van
- minibuses
- medium-sized goods vehicles (MGVs)
- heavy goods vehicles (HGVs)
You can be fined up to £1,000 if you’re found not wearing a seatbelt when you should.
Exemptions from wearing a seat belt
You do not need to wear a seat belt when you:
- drive a vehicle for the delivery or collection of goods or mail and you constantly leave and re-enter the vehicle because of the proximity of the delivery and collection points
- drive a vehicle while reversing
- supervise the holder of a provisional licence while reversing
- are engaged on the duties of a cab driver
- hold a valid medical exemption certificate
- occupy a seat not fitted with a prescribed seat belt and is not required to be fitted with a prescribed seat belt
- are a disabled person and your disability means it would not be practicable for you to wear any of the prescribed belts in the vehicle
More exemptions as detailed in the
Motor Vehicles (Wearing of Seat Belts by Adults) (Jersey) Order 2009.
Child car seats and seat belts
All children must wear a seat belt or have an appropriate child car seat when in a vehicle.
As the driver, you’re responsible for making sure children in your vehicle are travelling safely.
Appropriate child car seats include:
- rear facing baby seats
- forward-facing child seats
- booster seats
- booster cushions
- Isofix seats
- i-size seats
- lie-flat seats
They must be suitable for the child’s weight and must carry a BS Kitemark or a UN 'E' mark, plus a manufacturer’s label showing the weight for which it has been designed.
Check with your vehicle manufacturer's recommendations on the use of child seats when airbags are fitted.
Airbags and child car seats on ROSPA
Under 3 | Appropriate child car seat must be used | Appropriate child car seat must be used if available |
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3 to 11 and under 1.35 metres tall | Appropriate child car seat must be used. | Appropriate child car seat must be used if available. If not, an adult seatbelt must be worn |
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Aged 12 to 13 or younger and over 1.35 metres tall | Adult seatbelt must be worn | Adult seatbelt must be worn
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When a child does not need a seat belt or car seat
A child may not need to wear a seat belt when they: