The new law mandates that everyone in a vehicle must wear a seatbelt. This strengthens traffic safety rules designed to lower road accident rates. Wearing a seatbelt is now required for all passengers without exception. While enforcement will start at a future date drivers are urged to learn about these changes to avoid penalties and improve their safety on the road.
Mandatory Seatbelt Enforcement
You must wear your seat belt whenever you are in a moving vehicle. In the past many people did not follow this rule because enforcement was weak and back-seat passengers were rarely held accountable. The new law applies to all types of vehicles including private cars taxis, minibuses and buses across all nine territories of the Republic. The law will be enforced consistently from now on.
R500 Penalty for Non-Compliance
The major alteration to the law is the implementation of an immediate R500 fine for individuals caught not wearing seatbelts. A driver and a passenger may be fined the same amount if they are both outside the vehicle without their seatbelt. Officers on duty will also find other instances where they can fine offenders for this offense, such as drawing riders over for a routine check, checking passengers at roadblocks, or dispatching patrols for compliance enforcement.
Why the Law Was Updated
The government and road safety authorities are worried about the high number of serious injuries and deaths from accidents where people do not wear seatbelts. Research shows that wearing a seatbelt greatly increases the chances of surviving a crash. The government believes that strict penalties will encourage more people to buckle up & this will create better safety habits. The goal is to prevent unnecessary deaths on South African roads.
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Actions Drivers and Passengers Must Take
Along with worn seatbelts, a driver is now responsible for ensuring that all passengers are safely belted in before the vehicle starts moving. However, they are less likely to suffer fines if they ensure impacted awareness to all individuals well ahead of enforcement. The affected party may need to pay fines following any violations owing to any possibility of getting into the act of improper road behavior resulting in tragic accidents.
