When don't you need to wear a safety belt? Select all that apply. When don't you need to wear a safety belt? Select all that apply.

  • A. If you are reversing and wouldn't be able to remain in control of the vehicle

  • B. If you are a taxi driver plying for hire

  • C. If you are a driver or passenger who has to stop frequently to, for example, read meters, and the vehicle you're in travels at less than 50km/h

  • D. If you are unable to reach the controls if you wear a safety belt

  • E. If you have a medical exemption from wearing a safety belt

  •  
    The correct answer is A, B, C, D, E
     
    All these factors mean you may not have to wear a safety belt.
     
 
 
 

Seat belt law in New Zealand

Wearing safety belts

Front and back seats in all modern cars are fitted with seatbelts. Some older cars require webbing clamps to improve the effectiveness of the belts.

In New Zealand you have to wear a safety belt if your vehicle was fitted with one. All children aged under 7 must use an approved child restraint. Children aged 8-14 must use safety belts if available; if not, they must travel in the back seat.

As mentioned above there are scenarios where you don't have to wear a safety belt. The full list is:

  • If you are delivering newspapers, mail or other goods; servicing the vehicle; reading meters; spraying weeds; performing a job that requires you to alight and re-enter the vehicle frequently such as rubbish collection; and you don't exceed 50kph.
  • If you are a taxi driver plying for hire
  • If you have a certificate from a medical practitioner confirming that it would be impractical or undesirable for medical reasons (you can also apply this exemption to child restraints)
  • If you are reversing and you are physically unable to turn around to see behind you when restrained by a seatbelt
  • If you are an enforcement officer transporting a person who isn't an enforcement officer where it might be considered impractical or dangerous to wear a seatbelt; or you are executing your work duties.
  • If you can't operate any of the main controls in the vehicle such as the steering wheel, horn, indicators, brakes and clutch
  • If you are a driver or passenger on a bus, or if the bus has no appropriate child restraints
  • If you are driving a goods service vehicle with an unladen weight of more than 2000kg where there are no seatbelts fitted
  • If you are driving a vehicle first registered before 1 January 1955 where there are no seatbelts fitted

Applying for an exemption can be done with NZTA. It's non-refundable whether or not your extension is granted.

Seatbelts in motorhomes and campervans

All campervans built on or after 1 October 2003, or vehicles converted to motorhomes after 1 October 2003, must be fitted with safety belts.

They must have at least the same number of belts as there are sleeping berths, e.g. if it sleeps 4 there must be at least 4 safety belts.

The front driver and passenger must have three-point, dual-sensitive, retractor safety belts. A front middle seat must at least have a lap belt. All rear seats must have at least a lap belt. It's recommended that seatbelts are upgraded to lap and diagonal if possible unless they are sideways facing in which case they must remain lap belts.

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