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| Van drivers will soon have to buckle up more
often as the government strengthens the law on wearing seatbelts
in goods vehicles |
Research show that the wearing
rate of seatbelts by van drivers is only around 63% |
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| "Many van and goods vehicle drivers
believe that there is a general 'trade' exemption" |
The government is to tighten the law on the exemption from wearing
seatbelts in goods vehicles when drivers and their passengers are
delivering or collecting from 1 March 2005. Under an amendment to
the Motor Vehicles (Wearing of Seatbelts) Regulations 1993, the
maximum distance that may be travelled by commercial vehicle drivers
making door-to-door deliveries or collections before a seatbelt
must be worn will be 50 metres.
Currently there is no definition of “local rounds” and
the government says that has given rise to “a lack of clarity”,
with many van and goods vehicle drivers believing that there is
a general “trade” exemption, which applies to any delivery,
over any distance. Seatbelt-wearing surveys by TRL Ltd (formerly
the Transport Research Laboratory) on behalf of the Department for
Transport consistently show that the wearing rate for van drivers
is around 63%, and for their passengers it is 55%. TRL calculates
that if these rates can be raised to those seen in cars (90% and
92% respectively), then 21 fatalities, 241 serious casualties and
1,040 slight injuries annually could be prevented in vans alone
with further casualty reductions in larger commercial vehicles.
A Department for Transport consultation document suggested the maximum
prescribed distance for commercial vehicle drivers should be 10
metres or 20 metres, but left the opportunity for another distance
to be suggested. The Department said that while there was “clear
support” for a short distance, there was also a “good
deal of support” for a longer distance from respondents than
that suggested in the consultation document. Concern was expressed
that a maximum distance of 20 metres or less would be unreasonable
and would seriously inconvenience goods vehicle users involved in
genuine house-to-house type deliveries, and that a longer distance
would be more realistic. Some respondents engaged in making deliveries/collections
were concerned about the cost because of the time taken to do up/undo
belts at frequent intervals. As a result, the Department said it
accepted that a longer maximum distance would be more practical
and more likely to encourage compliance with the new regulation.
Some delivery drivers are
concerned about costs because of the time taken to do up/undo
belts at frequent intervals |
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| "The wearing of seatbelts is widely
accepted in cars and there seems no reason why they should not
produce similar benefits in goods vehicles" |
The new regulation will replace an amended section 110 of the Railways
and Transport Safety Act 2003, which had already superseded the original
exemption contained in the 1988 Road Traffic Act. Initially, the 2003
Act contained a seatbelt-wearing exemption aimed at those who needed
to make frequent stops while engaged in making local deliveries or
collections, such as the door-to-door operations of milkmen, postmen
and refuse collectors. However, in reality, the number of drivers
not wearing seatbelts but still performing delivery and collections
has been much wider.
Ministers hope that by tightening the law they will drive down casualty
rates among drivers undertaking delivery and collection services.
A Department for Transport spokesman says: “We were concerned
that the maximum distance should not be so long that vehicles are
likely to reach significant speeds, to cross busy junctions or roundabouts,
or cross or join a major road. “Whilst we accept that there
are some financial costs arising from a prescribed distance, in our
view the current position encourages low seatbelt wearing rates among
goods vehicle occupants. Any increase in journey times should be offset
by a lower risk of injury in the event of an accident.
Overall increases in seatbelt wearing will save lives and reduce injuries.”
The government said in the consultation document: “Seatbelts
reduce deaths and serious injuries by at least 50%. The wearing of
seatbelts is now widely accepted in cars and there seems no reason
therefore why they should not produce similar benefits in goods vehicles,
provided that drivers use them.” The document added: “When
the original seatbelt wearing legislation was considered in 1982,
Parliament recognised that inconvenience to those goods vehicle users
who only travel very short distances between stops could outweigh
the benefits. But the present exemption, for local rounds of deliveries,
is not well understood. An exemption expressed as a maximum distance
that may be travelled before a belt is worn will provide the basis
for better understanding.”When the tighter law comes into force
the penalties for the non-wearing of seatbelts will remain unchanged:
a fixed penalty fine of £30 or, if the case goes to court, a
maximum fine on conviction of £500.
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