Statutory Requirements

The Road Traffic (Construction and Maintenance of Vehicles) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulation 2025 and the Road Traffic (Safety Equipment) (Amendment) Regulation 2025 have been passed by the Legislative Council.

Starting from 25 January 2026, the following newly registered vehicle classes and seats must be fitted with seat belts*:

• All passenger seats of buses (including public buses and private buses);
• Rear passenger's seats of private light buses and goods vehicles; and
• Driver's seat and all passenger seats of special purpose vehicles.

Driver or passenger must wear seat belts, if fitted.

In addition, all student service vehicles must retrofit seat belts and safer seats on all passenger seats before 31 December 2028. Vehicles that fail to meet the retrofit requirement will no longer be permitted to provide student transport services from the above specified effective date onwards.

* Seat belts and anchorage points must comply with the relevant statutory requirements.

Offences

• Any registered owner or driver of above vehicles who contravenes the requirement of fitting seat belts without reasonable excuse is liable to a maximum fine of Level 2 (currently $5,000) and imprisonment for up to 3 months.
• Any driver or passenger of above vehicles who contravenes the requirement of wearing seat belts without reasonable excuse is liable to a maximum fine of Level 2 and imprisonment for up to 3 months.
• If there is a passenger under 15 years of age seated in the rear passenger's seat of a goods vehicle# or any passenger seat of a special purpose vehicle without wearing a seat belt, the concerned driver is liable to a maximum fine of Level 1 (currently $2,000).

# According to current legislation, a driver is liable to a maximum fine of Level 1 for passenger under 15 years of age seated in the front passenger's seat of a goods vehicle without wearing a seat belt.

Safety Tips

• Wearing a seat belt can reduce the chance of death or serious injury in the event of a traffic accident.
• Two or more persons must not share a seat belt at the same time.
• Driver or passenger must not put on clips onto the seat belt since this would seriously reduce the effectiveness of the seat belt and also be illegal.
• Seat belt must be worn properly and it must securely fasten the wearer to the seat. The lap belt must restrain your hip bones by lying across the top of your thighs. The diagonal strap should lie mid-way across your shoulder, staying in contact with your chest up to about your collar bone. The buckle is well down to your side and not lying on your body. You may have to change the length of the straps. Please make sure the straps are not twisted or trapped before fastening the buckle.

Current Legislation on the Requirements of Fitting and Wearing Seat Belts on other Vehicle Classes or Seats

According to current legislation, unless otherwise specified, driver's seats and all passenger seats of private cars, taxis and public light buses, driver's seats and front passenger's seats of private light buses and goods vehicles, and driver's seats of buses must be fitted with seat belts. Driver or passenger must wear seat belts, if fitted.