Tour and school bus passengers must also follow new seatbelt law
發佈日期: 2026-01-08 21:17
TVB News
Starting January 25th, passengers on public transport must buckle up if seatbelts are available.
Even tour bus guides and school bus monitors are not exempted.
The police say their priority will be on promoting awareness during the early stage of implementation, while prosecutions will depend on the circumstances of each case.
Sit down and buckle up -- passengers aboard buses, minibuses, goods vehicles and special purpose vehicles are required to fasten seatbelts from the 25th of this month.
Those who fail to do so could face a fine of up to 5,000 dollars and imprisonment for three months. But what if a seatbelt is faulty?
Alex Au, Assistant Commissioner for Transport/ Technical Services said passengers should report the issue to the driver and relocate to another seat, if feasible.
He added they can explain the situation to the enforcement officers.
The safety regulation also covers school bus nannies who are responsible for protecting the children on board.
"Nannies should wear a seatbelt before departure, and assist the children only when the vehicle is completely stopped," said Chong Kam-yan, Chief Inspector of Police.
The same principle also applies to tour guides, who will have to sit down and put on a seatbelt when the coach is moving.
While the police did not reveal if they will deploy undercover officers to catch offenders on public transport, they said the enforcement operation will be based on daily observation or public tips.
"Our ultimate goal is to cultivate self-initiated habit and safety culture regarding seatbelt usage and attentive driving, hereby reducing traffic accidents as well as casualties, and enhancing overall road safety," said Chong.
Also from January 25th onwards, drivers will be banned from placing in their cars more than two mobile telecommunications devices, such as phones or tablets.
The diagonal length of each screen shall not exceed 19 centimetres. The two devices must not obstruct the driver's view of the road, as well as any mirror fitted to viewing the traffic.
Violators are liable to a maximum fine of 2,000 dollars. Are professional drivers happy about it?
Mr Kwan said he needs at least three gadgets to pick-up orders from various ride-hailing applications. He thinks he may earn less with only two devices.
This resident who backs the law, said multitaskers who drive while tracking numerous phones are bad for road safety.
The authorities will work with public transport operators to step up publicity and public education for drivers and passengers on the legal requirements.
