School Buses

[cat_woman]

A school bus passed me today full of children, and not one of them was sitting down, I thought all children had to be strapped in?

can you enlighten me on this subject.

 

[henryscat]

My understanding is that the law requires seat belts to be fitted to the bus (normal local buses are exempt) and that passengers must be notified of the requirement to wear seatbelts. Notification can be by announcement by the driver or by pictograms / notices at each seat. The law says that passengers aged 14 or over must wear seat belts, for passengers 3 - 13 years of age its still the subject of consultation by the Department for Transport. Whilst the operator has to notify of the requirement to wear seat belts, as far as I can tell the driver does not have any responsibility in law to check they're being worn.

 

[cat_woman]

Thanks for that.

 

[Toble]

This week the boys in blue are cracking down on seatbelts. Be warned.

They keep stopping taxis, buy seem not to know the law. Here it is in brief:

Hackney Carriage Drivers (white ones with lights on top - cars! not the drivers) are exempt from wearing a seatbelt at all times within 10 miles (i think, might be 12) of the Borough of Stafford.
Private Hire Drivers are exempt from wearing a seatbelt at any time where there is a passenger in the vehicle.

It is the passenger's responisiblity to wear a belt (if they are over 14), not the driver's.

So, if in a taxi, wear your belt, as you'll be the one getting the fine. Also, it makes sense as the drivers are a load of mad bastards.