Should I Pay or Appeal No Seat Belt Fine? Know Your Rights

Have you received a fine for not wearing a seat belt? This can be a tricky situation. Each month, I guide over 32,000 people who seek advice on how to handle tickets and fines.

In this easy-to-understand guide, we’ll cover:

• The reasons for receiving a no seat belt fine.
• How to make an appeal and possibly win.
• The rules about seat belts for children.
• The penalties for not wearing a seat belt in the UK.
• The new laws about seat belts.

It’s normal to worry about paying a fine or making an appeal. But there’s no need to be scared. I’ve seen many cases like yours, and I know how you feel.

This article will give you the information you need to decide if you should pay or appeal your fine. So, take a deep breath and read on. Here, you will find the help you need to deal with a no seat belt fine. Let’s get started.

Not wearing seat belts is a serious concern

Around four decades ago it became mandatory for people in the front seats of a vehicle to wear a seat belt for their and others’ safety. In 1991, it became mandatory for people sitting in the back of a vehicle to wear a seat belt. 

These news laws – at the time – have been revolutionary in increasing road safety. But there is data to suggest more people are ignoring the law and not using their fitted seat belts. For example, in 2021, the Department for Transport stated that 30% of all road fatalities involved a driver or passenger not wearing their seat belt, which is an increase on years gone by. 

Even our Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has been at the heart of a seat belt backlash after he was filmed not wearing a seat belt while in a moving car. 

What is the fine for failing to wear a seat belt?

The seat belt fine can be up to £500 for both adults and children not wearing a seat belt. The minimum you’ll be fined in any circumstance is £100, but the offence can escalate to a bigger fine. 

Most people will be fined £100. 

Fine for a child not wearing a seatbelt

Drivers must ensure any children travelling in their vehicle are using the correct type of car seat for their dimensions. They must do this until their 12th birthday or until they reach 135 centimetres tall. 

Any child over 135 centimetres tall must be using a seat belt. Children over the age of 12 must be wearing a seat belt. 

The driver will be given a seat belt fine if the child isn’t using the correct seat or using a seat belt.

What are the new seat belt laws?

The “new seat belt laws” were expected changes to the law to give penalty points as part of the punishment for not wearing a seat belt when you should – as discussed above. 

However, they haven’t yet come into effect due to various reasons, including changes to figures involved at the government level. They’re still expected to be brought into effect soon.

Do you have to pay a seat belt fine?

You should pay or appeal the seat belt fine before the deadline given. You can usually pay online. 

Otherwise, you may be summoned to court and have to pay even more – up to the maximum of £500. 

The only other way to avoid paying the seat belt Fixed Penalty is to accept a place on a seat belt safety course, as this forum user describes:

Source: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6204852/driving-without-seat-belt-online-course-or-100-fixed-penalty 

Should you pay or appeal a seat belt fine?

Whether you or a passenger was or wasn’t using a seat belt is fairly black and white. The alleged offence is likely to have been seen by a police officer or even caught on camera, so there is usually little option to successfully appeal. 

But an appeal might be worthwhile if a police officer hasn’t applied the law correctly, such as not being familiar with all the exemptions. Or if there is a dispute about a child’s car seat or their height. 

It’s best to appeal the fine if you’re confident that you can get the fine overturned, Otherwise, you may avoid bigger expenses by paying the fine or taking the YBYL online course instead. In the end, it’s completely your judgment and decision to make. 

Do you get points on your license for not wearing a seatbelt in the UK?

At the time of writing, the seat belt fine doesn’t come with penalty points endorsed to your driving licence. But things could be about to change. 

This has been a hot topic of late due to increased accidents and fatalities involving motorists not wearing seat belts. 

There are rumoured plans for the government to add three penalty points to the driving licence of anyone found guilty of not wearing a seat belt, in a bid to encourage people to take seat belt wearing more seriously. 

There’s a good chance things are about to change and you will get three points on your licence as part of a seat belt fixed penalty. The three points would then need to be disclosed when renewing or applying for insurance, which could put your insurance premiums up by around 10%. 

Furthermore, if you already had nine or more penalty points within the last three years, you will be banned from driving for at least six months and possibly one year. This is called a “totting up” driving ban. 

Your Belt Your Life (YBYL) online course

The Your Belt Your Life online course may be offered to you if you were given a seat belt fine. 

This course allows you to pay the course fee and take the course to increase your knowledge of seat belts and child car seat safety. In return, you won’t have to pay the seat belt fine of £100. 

The online seat belt course currently costs £52.80 but is subject to change. It takes 30 minutes to complete and can be completed with a device remotely. 

So, you could save just under £50 by taking the 30-minute seat belt course and completing the quiz at the end to make sure you’ve understood.