Safety belts
Where safety belts are fitted, you must wear them. The only exceptions are for: people who wear a disabled person’s belt, people whose doctors have certified that, on medical grounds, they should not wear a safety belt, driving instructors or driver testers during a lesson or a test, and
Gardaí or members of the Defence Forces in the course of their duty.
Private buses and heavy goods vehicles registered since 20 October 2007 must have seat belts fitted.
Bus owners are required to present documentation at their bus roadworthiness test certifying that any seat belts fitted to their vehicle meet a minimum safety standard.
Since October 2011, all buses involved in the organised transport of children must be fitted with certified seat belt installations. This requirement does not apply to the transport of children on bus services offered to the general public (scheduled urban or inter-urban bus services).
See Appendix 4 for details of seatbelt offences and penalty points.