Consumer advice

What if my car... has no rear seatbelts fitted?

Until 1987, rear safety devices were not mandatory, and it was 1991 before adults became legally obliged to belt up in the back.

Auto Express Car Reviews

28th December 2007

As the law stands today, you have to wear a seatbelt “if one is fitted”. In other words, if it’s there, it must be used, and if not, there’s no legal obligation to put any in.

In pre-1987 cars with no belts, children between three and 12 may travel in the back, although the Department for Transport points out that this is “not safe”.

A more sensible option for classic and vintage car users is to retro-fit the devices. A number of companies offer this service. Even when there are no shoulder-mounting points, belts can be fitted. Bucks-based firm Securon (www.securon.co.uk) supplies aftermarket units and advice on how to fit them. Since the launch of the Government’s THINK! seatbelt campaign, which showed in gory detail the consequences of not being belted up in the back, rear seatbelt use has shot up to nearly 60 per cent among all road users.