We all know that we have to wear seat belts when travelling on the roads where they are provided. We know that we have to wear a seat belt in order to protect us and others in the car or vehicle if we were to have a road traffic accident; we also know that wearing a seat belt is a legal requirement for most people.
You may not realise however that there is another reason why you should wear a seat belt…
If you do not wear a seat belt and you are in a road traffic accident, the compensation to which you may be entitled to could be reduced by up to 25%.
This is due to a term in the legal world known as Contributory Negligence. In this instance, it means that the innocent driver may have contributed to his injuries by negligently not wearing a seat belt.
I am glad to say that most drivers and passengers of cars do make sure to wear a seat belt. It is, however, in vehicles such as coaches and taxis that some people may neglect to put on their seat belt if one is provided.
On a mini bus you must always wear a seat belt or utilise a child restraint if one is fitted or available. If you are travelling by bus or coach and you are over 14 you normally must wear a seat belt if one is fitted. There are exceptions to this, so please check seat belt rules and legislation if you are unsure.
The rules surrounding the use of seat belts are that every individual over the age of 14 must wear an adult seat belt. The rules surrounding children who are under the age of 14 can be slightly more complex. This is because it is dependent on age and height as to whether a child should wear a child restraint or an adult seat belt. Again, there are exceptions to these rules, so please check road safely rules to gain a more in depth understanding of the above.
If you have been involved in a road traffic accident and it was not your fault, you may have a claim.
Here at The Injury Lawyers we offer free claims assessments, so there is nothing to lose by simply getting some advice and assessing your options.
If you require any further information regarding a road traffic accident claim, feel free to call us on 0800 634 7575 today.