Transport Act 1981

28 Restriction on carrying children in the front of motor vehicles

(1) After section 33 of the 1972 Act there is inserted, after the section inserted by section 27, the following section—

“33B Restriction on carrying children in the front of motor vehicles.

(1) Except as provided by regulations a person shall not, without reasonable excuse, drive a motor vehicle on a road when there is in the front of the vehicle a child under the age of fourteen years who is not wearing a seat belt in conformity with regulations.

(2) It is an offence for a person to drive a motor vehicle in contravention of subsection (1) above.

(3) Provision may be made by regulations—

(a) excepting from the prohibition in subsection (1) above children of any prescribed description, vehicles of a prescribed class or the driving of vehicles in such circumstances as may be prescribed ;

(b) defining in relation to any class of vehicle what part of the vehicle is to be regarded as the front of the vehicle for the purposes of that subsection;

(c) prescribing for the purposes of that subsection the descriptions of seat belt to be worn by children of any prescribed description and the manner in which such a belt is to be fixed and used.

(4) In this section—

• " regulations " means regulations made by the Secretary of State under this section; and

• " seat belt" includes any description of restraining device for a child and any reference to wearing a seat belt shall, be construed accordingly.”.

(2) In Part I of Schedule 4 to the 1972 Act (prosecution and punishment of offences), after the entry relating to section 33A, there is inserted—

“33B.

Driving motor vehicle with, child in the front not wearing seat belt.

Summarily

£50

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—

Sections 181 and 183 apply.”