Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Seat Belts) Rules

Road Traffic Act

(Chapter 276, Section 6)

R 15

REVISED EDITION 1990

(25th March 1992)

[30th December 1977]

Citation

1. These Rules may be cited as the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Seat Belts) Rules.

Definitions

2. In these Rules, unless the context otherwise requires —

“body-restraining seat belt” means a seat belt designed to provide restraint for both the upper and lower parts of the trunk of the wearer in the event of an accident to the vehicle;

“business service passenger vehicle” means a motor-car registered in the name of —

(a)

a statutory board, company, firm, society, association or club, and used for the owner’s business; or

(b)

an individual and used for the purpose of any trade, business, profession or vocation, but does not include a motor-car used —

(i)	for the carriage of goods other than samples;
(ii)	for the carriage of passengers for hire or reward; and
(iii)	for instructional purposes for reward ;

“heavy goods vehicle” means a goods vehicle the maximum laden weight of which exceeds 3.0 metric tonnes, but does not include any construction equipment, engineering plant, trivan, recovery vehicle and any vehicle used as a mobile canteen or mobile bank;

“lap belt” means a seat belt, anchored at not less than two points, which passes across the front of the wearer’s pelvic region and which restrains the lower part of the wearer’s torso;

“light goods vehicle” means a goods vehicle the maximum laden weight of which does not exceed 3 metric tons but does not include any construction equipment, engineering plant, trivan, motor-cycle with a side-car attached to it, recovery vehicle and any vehicle used as a mobile canteen or mobile bank;

“private hire car” means a motor-car which does not ply for hire on any road but is hired under a contract, expressed or implied, for the use of the motor-car as a whole;

“seat belt” means a belt intended to be worn by a person in a vehicle and designed to prevent or lessen injury to its wearer in the event of an accident to the vehicle and includes, in the case of a restraining device for a young person, any special chair to which the belt is attached;

“seat with integral seat belt anchorages” means a seat which is fitted with all the anchorage points required for use in connection with the seat belt provided for that seat;

“specified passenger’s seat” means —

(a)	in the case of a vehicle which has a forward-facing front seat alongside the driver’s seat, such seat, and in the case of a vehicle which has more than one such seat, the one furthest from the driver’s seat; or
(b)	if the vehicle has no seat which is the specified passenger’s seat under paragraph (a), the forward-facing front seat for a passenger which is foremost in the vehicle and furthest from the driver’s seat, unless there is a fixed partition separating such seat from the space in front of it alongside the driver’s seat;

“station wagon” means a vehicle with folding seats and side doors and either a tail-board or doors opening at the rear, constructed or adapted for the carriage of goods as well as passengers;

“station wagon (goods-cum-passengers)” means a station wagon constructed for the carriage of 7 passengers or more, excluding the driver, and registered by the owner for use by him or a member of his family or any person by his authority without consideration for social or domestic purposes or for the owner’s business and excluding the use for instructional purposes for reward.

Application

3. Unless otherwise expressly provided, these Rules shall apply —

(a)	to every motor car and motor car used for instructional purposes registered on or after 1st January 1973;
(b)	to every business service passenger vehicle registered on or after 1st January 1973;
(c)	to every light goods vehicle registered on or after 1st January 1973;
(d)	to every private hire car registered on or after 1st January 1973;
(e)	to every station wagon (goods-cum-passengers) registered on or after 1st January 1973;
(f)	to every taxi;
(g)	to every ambulance, fire engine and hearse registered on or after 1st January 1993; and
(h)	to every heavy goods vehicle registered on or after 1st January 1993.

Anchorage points

4.—(1) Every motor vehicle to which these Rules apply shall be provided with anchorage points designed to hold body-restraining seat belts securely in position on the vehicle for —

(a)	the driver’s seat; and
(b)	the specified passenger’s seat, (if any):

Provided that this rule shall not apply so as to require anchorage points to be provided for any seat which is a seat with integral seat belt anchorages.

(2) The anchorage points provided in pursuance of paragraph (1) shall meet the British Standard Specification for seat belt anchorage points, namely either B.S. AU 48: 1965 or B.S. AU 48a or such other specifications as the Registrar may approve from time to time.

Seat belts to be provided

5.—(1) Every motor vehicle to which these Rules apply shall be provided with —

(a)	a body-restraining seat belt designed for use by an adult for the driver’s seat;
(b)	a body-restraining seat belt for the specified passenger’s seat, (if any); and
(c)	a body-restraining seat belt or lap belt for any front passenger seat other than the driver’s seat and the specified passenger’s seat:

Provided that this rule shall not apply to a vehicle while it is being used under a general licence within the meaning of section 28 of the Act.

(2) The seat belt to be provided in pursuance of this rule shall meet the British Standard Specification for Seat Belt Assemblies for Motor Vehicles namely either B.S. 3254: 1960 or B.S. AU 160a or such other specifications as the Registrar may approve from time to time and shall be legibly and permanently marked with such specification.

Seat belts to be properly secured to anchorage points

6. Every seat belt provided in pursuance of these Rules shall, if the seat for which it is provided is a seat with integral seat belt anchorages, be properly secured to the integral seat belt anchorage points forming part thereof, or, if the seat for which it is provided is not such a seat, be properly secured to the structure of the vehicle by the anchorage points provided for it under rule 4.

Markings on anchorage points

7.—(1) Every vehicle registered on or after 1st January 1978 which is provided with seat belt anchorage points in pursuance of rule 4 shall be legibly and permanently marked with the specification number of the British Standard for seat belt anchorage points, namely either B.S. AU 48: 1965 or B.S. AU 48a, or such other specifications as the Registrar may approve from time to time.

(2) Where in the case of any motor-car to which these Rules apply and which was registered on or after 1st January 1978 the driver’s seat or the specified passenger’s seat is a seat with integral seat belt anchorages, such seat shall meet the British Standard Specification for Seats with Integral Seat Belt Anchorages followed by the suffix “1”, namely B.S. AU 140/1: 1967 or B.S. AU 140a/1 or such other specifications as the Registrar may approve from time to time and shall be legibly and permanently marked with such specification.

(3) If any seat with integral seat belt anchorages is provided on or after 1st January 1978 for a motor car to which these Rules apply and which was registered on or after 1st January 1973 the vehicle for which it is so provided shall meet the said specification number, namely either B.S. AU 140: 1967 or B.S. AU 140a or such other specifications as the Registrar may approve from time to time and shall be legibly and permanently marked with such specification.

Anchorage points for rear seat belts

8.—(1) Every motor car, motor car used for instructional purposes, business service passenger vehicle, private hire car, taxi, station wagon constructed for the carriage of 6 passengers or less and every motor vehicle having double cabs, registered on or after 1st January 1993, shall —

(a)	where such motor vehicle is permitted to carry not more than two rear seat passengers, be provided with anchorage points to hold securely in position a body-restraining seat belt for each of those passengers;
(b)	where such motor vehicle is permitted to carry more than two rear seat passengers, be provided with anchorage points to hold securely in position body-restraining seat belts for at least two of those passengers, and either a body-restraining seat belt or a lap belt for each of the remaining rear seat passengers; and
(c)	in the case of such a station wagon, be provided with anchorage points to hold securely in position a body-restraining seat belt for each rear seat passenger it is constructed to carry.

(2) Where any vehicle in respect of which this rule applies cannot, by reason of the design of such vehicle, be installed with body-restraining rear seat belts, such vehicle shall instead be provided with anchorage points designed to hold in position lap belts.

(3) The anchorage points provided under paragraph (1) or (2) shall meet the British Standard Specification for seat belt anchorage points, namely either B.S. AU 48:1965 or B.S. AU 48a, or such other specifications as the Registrar may approve from time to time.

(4) Every vehicle in respect of which this rule applies which is provided with rear seat belt anchorage points under paragraph (1) or (2) shall be legibly and permanently marked with the specification number of the British Standard for seat belt anchorage points, namely either B.S. AU 48:1965 or B.S. 48a:1965 or such other specifications as the Registrar may approve from time to time.

(5) Where in the case of a vehicle to which this rule applies the rear passenger seats are seats with integral seat belt anchorages, such seats shall meet the British Standard Specification for Seats with Integral Seat Belt Anchorages followed by the suffix “1”, namely B.S. AU 140/1:1967 or B.S. AU 140a/1 or such other specifications as the Registrar may approve from time to time and shall be legibly and permanently marked with such specification.

(6) This rule shall not apply so as to require anchorage points to be provided for any seat which is a seat with integral seat belt anchorages.

Rear seat belts to be provided

9.—(1) Every motor car, motor car used for instructional purposes, business service passenger vehicle, private hire car, taxi, station wagon constructed for the carriage of 6 passengers or less and every motor vehicle having double cabs, registered on or after 1st January 1993 shall —

(a)	where such motor vehicle is permitted to carry not more than two rear seat passengers, be provided with a body-restraining seat belt for each of those passengers;
(b)	where such motor vehicle is permitted to carry more than two rear seat passengers, be provided with body-restraining seat belts for at least two of those passengers, and either a body-restraining seat belt or a lap belt for each of the remaining rear seat passengers; and
(c)	in the case of such a station wagon, be provided with a body-restraining seat belt for each rear seat passenger it is constructed to carry.

(3) Rear seat belts provided under this rule shall meet the requirements specified in rule 5(2) and shall be secured in the manner prescribed in rule 6.

Seat belts in taxis and light goods vehicles

10.—(1) Every taxi or light goods vehicle registered on or after 1st January 1982, which is provided with seat belt anchorage points in pursuance of rule 4 shall be legibly and permanently marked with the specification number of the British Standard for seat belt anchorage points, namely either B.S. AU 48: 1965 or B.S. AU 48a or such other specifications as the Registrar may approve from time to time.

(2) Where in the case of any taxi or light goods vehicle to which these Rules apply and which was registered on or after 1st January 1982 the driver’s seat or the specified passenger’s seat is a seat with integral seat belt anchorages, such seat shall meet the British Standard Specification for Seats with Integral Seat Belt Anchorages followed by the suffix “1”, namely B.S. AU 140/1: 1967 or B.S. AU 140a/1 or such other specifications as the Registrar may approve from time to time and shall be legibly and permanently marked with such specification.

(3) If any seat with integral seat belt anchorages is provided on or after 1st January 1982 for a taxi or light goods vehicle to which these Rules apply and which was registered on or after 1st January 1973, the vehicle for which it is so provided shall meet the said specification number, namely either B.S. AU 140: 1967 or B.S. AU 140a or such other specifications as the Registrar may approve from time to time and shall be legibly and permanently marked with such specification.

Offences and penalties

11.—(1) Subject as hereinafter provided, it shall not be lawful to use a vehicle which does not comply with any of the provisions of these Rules which is applicable to that vehicle.

(2) It shall not be lawful to sell or to supply or to offer to sell or supply a vehicle in such a condition that the use thereof in that condition would be unlawful by virtue of these Rules.

(3) It shall not be lawful to alter a vehicle so as to render its condition such that the use thereof in that condition would be unlawful by virtue of these Rules.

(4) If a vehicle is used or is sold, supplied, offered or altered in contravention of this rule, any person who so uses the vehicle or causes or permits the vehicle to be so used or so sells, supplies, offers or alters it or causes or permits it to be so sold, supplied, offered or altered shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $1,000 and in the case of a second or subsequent offence to a fine not exceeding $2,000.

(5) A person shall be be convicted for an offence under this rule in respect of the sale, supply, offer or alteration of a vehicle if he proves that it was so sold, supplied, offered or altered, as the case may be, for export from Singapore or that he has reasonable cause to believe that the vehicle would not be used in Singapore or would not be so used until it had been put into a condition in which it might lawfully be so used.

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