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Seat Belt

A seat belt reduces by half the risk of being killed or seriously injured in an accident. Buckling up could save your life.

This simple habit can make all the difference

A seat belt reduces by half the risk of being killed or seriously injured in an accident. The higher the speed, the greater the impact:

  • at 50 km/h, the impact is like falling from a 4-storey building
  • at 75 km/h, it is like falling from an 8-storey building
  • at 100 km/h, it is like falling from a 14-storey building

Seat belts: the numbers really make you think

In recent years, more than 30% of passenger vehicle drivers and passengers killed in a traffic accident were not wearing their seat belt.

If everyone riding in a vehicle buckled up, 40 deaths and 95 serious injuries could be avoided every year.

A properly adjusted seat belt provides the best protection

  •  The lap belt must always cross over the pelvis, not over the abdomen
  • The shoulder belt must always cross over the collar bone, not over the neck
  • The seat belt should be snug, with no slack

What the law says

 Buckling up in a vehicle is mandatory. If you fail to do so, you are subject to:

  • a fine of $200 to $300
  • 3 demerit points

 If you are the driver, you are responsible for making sure that all passengers, particularly those under age 16, fasten their seat belts.

No passengers without a seat belt!

The maximum number of passengers, regardless of their age, is equal to the number of places equipped with a seat belt installed by the manufacturer.

If a seat belt has been removed, modified or made unusable:

  • you face a fine of $200 to $300

Find out more about the rules concerning modified cars.

Taxis and Rideshare Services

The law is the same if you are riding in these types of vehicles, and the same penalties apply. You have to buckle up.

If a person under age 16 doesn't buckle up, it is the adult passenger riding with him or her – not the qualified driver – who faces a fine and demerit points.

Once they turn 14, passengers could be fined and the demerit points entered on their driving record.

Last update: May 17, 2022