Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Motor Vehicles (Wearing of Seat Belts) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008 and shall come into operation on 1st May 2008.

(2) In these Regulations “the principal Regulations” means the Motor Vehicles (Wearing of Seat Belts) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1993(2).

Amendment to regulation 2 (general interpretation)

2.  In regulation 2(1) of the principal Regulations, for the definition of “the Driving Licences Regulations” substitute—

““the Driving Licences Regulations” means the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996(3);”.

Amendment to regulation 6 (exceptions)

3.  In regulation 6(1) of the principal Regulations—

(a)for sub-paragraph (b) substitute—

“(b)the driver of, or a passenger in, a motor vehicle constructed or adapted for carrying goods, while on a journey which does not exceed 50 metres and which is undertaken for the purpose of delivering or collecting any thing;”; and

(b)in sub-paragraph (d) for “regulation 8” substitute “regulation 11”.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of the Environment on 24th January 2008.

Stanley Duncan

A senior officer of the

Department of the Environment

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

The Motor Vehicles (Wearing of Seat Belts) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1993 (“the 1993 Regulations”) require persons driving or riding in a motor vehicle to wear a seatbelt. This requirement is subject to a number of exceptions, including exceptions for the users of motor vehicles engaged in making local rounds of deliveries or collections of goods or mail and for “qualified drivers” supervising learner drivers performing manoeuvres which include reversing.

These Regulations amend the 1993 Regulations by—

A Regulatory Impact Assessment has been produced and may be obtained from the Department of the Environment website at www.roadsafetyni.gov.uk.