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Good drivers have crashes too.
Although some people are safer drivers than others, all drivers run the risk of
being involved in a crash. People who drink, drive fast, are tired, discourteous or
inexperienced, have a higher risk of having a crash. You never know when you may
encounter a dangerous or careless driver – so don’t take a chance, always wear your
seat belt.
People are rarely trapped because of seat belts.
Some people are afraid that they will be trapped in the car if they are wearing a seat
belt and their car catches fire or falls into water after a crash. Statistics show that it is
very rare for this to happen. Wearing a seat belt will increase your chances of being
alive and conscious after a crash so that you can escape from the fire or water.
Seat belts save us money.
We all pay the costs of hospital and medical treatment, legal costs, invalid pensions
and higher insurance rates in one way or another. Preventing injuries to yourself and
to others by wearing a seat belt is in everyone’s best interest.
1.4.3 Who does not have to wear a seat belt?
Legally, you do not have to wear a seat belt if you are:
n the driver of a vehicle travelling in reverse;
n in possession of a current medical certificate authorising exemption;
n doing work which requires getting in and out of the vehicle frequently, and the
vehicle does not travel faster than 25 km/h;
n under the age of 12 months and in a taxi, if there is no suitable child restraint
available; or
n a taxi driver carrying passengers after dark.
1.4.4 Who must wear a seat belt?
The driver and each passenger must be appropriately restrained and in a seated
position in the vehicle.
Seat belts are designed to be used by only one person at a time. ‘Doubling up’ –
fastening a seat belt around two people – is both illegal and unsafe.
Seat belts work just as well in the back seat.
You must wear a seat belt when sitting in the back seat. If you don’t and the vehicle
you are travelling in is involved in a crash, you may hit some part of the vehicle or
other people in the car.