A seat belt reduces by half the risk of being killed or seriously injured in an accident. Buckling up could save your life.
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:
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.
Buckling up in a vehicle is mandatory. If you fail to do so, you are subject to:
If you are the driver, you are responsible for making sure that all passengers, particularly those under age 16, fasten their seat belts.
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:
Find out more about the rules concerning modified cars.
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