The wearing of seatbelts became compulsory for drivers and front-seat passengers in the UK on January 31, 1983 In 1989, it became the law for children to wear seatbelts in the back seats, and two years later it became illegal for adults to travel in the back without "clunk-clicking"

New legislation which came into force today considerably tightens the rules on children and rear-seat travel

  • Until today, child restraints were only required by law when a child under three travelled in the front passenger seat
  • Now that rule is extended to children under 12, whether they are sitting in the front or the back
  • It also applies to any child who is under 135 centimetres (approximately 4ft 5in) in height
  • It means some youngsters who have been using adult seatbelts for years will have to go back to using child restraints or booster seats
  • More than 7,000 children are killed or injured in car accidents in the UK each year
  • The Government believes the changes will save up to 2,000 child casualties a year
  • Sitting higher in the vehicle - rather than using seatbelts designed for adults - should mean children suffer fewer injuries to their spine and internal organs if involved in a crash
  • The driver will face a £30 on-the-spot fine for carrying a child who is not in a suitable restraint
  • If the driver refuses the fine and opts to go to court, he or she could face a maximum fine of £500 if convicted
  • There are some restrictions to the new rules - children under 12 or those who are below the height restriction will not be expected to use restraints when travelling in the rear of taxis
  • Drivers will also avoid a fine if they have to carry children under "unexpected necessity" - although this does not cover school runs
  • The third and final exception is if a driver is carrying three children in the back and there is room for only two child restraints.