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Drivers of goods vehicles, and their passengers, are currently exempt from wearing their seatbelt when engaged in local rounds of deliveries or collections. However, ‘local rounds’ is not defined in legislation. To provide clarity for all goods vehicle users and ensure seatbelts are worn on longer trips, the Department is now consulting on a maximum distance that may be travelled between stops before a seatbelt must be worn. The department believes the distance should be very short and is seeking views. The consultation can be viewed at http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_rdsafety/documents/page/dft_rdsafety_023621.hcsp GEM’s response will be shown in due course. Dear Mr Peagram, Consultation – Seat Belt wearing while undertaking deliveries or collections Thank you for inviting the Guild of Experienced Motorists (GEM) to comment on the above proposals. Members of GEM’s Executive Council considered this matter in some detail at their recent meeting and came to the conclusion that no exemption to the seat belt regulations should be allowed for vehicles undertaking local deliveries and collections. They stressed that seat belts can provide protection even to occupants of stationary vehicles and, therefore, to offer dispensation for short journeys is not appropriate. They accept that enforcement of such stringent regulations will be difficult but were of the mind that much could be done by vehicle designers to provide a seat belt system on delivery vehicles which operates automatically in conjunction with the door to allow speedy access and exit from the vehicle but which automatically secures the safety belt . Thus the regulation would be largely self-enforcing. Given that such a design feature would take a period to be developed, we propose that a temporary regulation allowing a 50-metre journey to be undertaken unrestrained be allowed for say a five-year period, but that following this period, it would be a requirement for all delivery vehicle drivers and occupants be restrained whenever the vehicle is in motion. We hope this suggestion will be of assistance to you in your deliberation. GEM is happy for these views to be made public. Yours sincerely, David Williams, MBE FIRSO Chief Executive © Copyright GEM Motoring Assist 2005 Top of Page |
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