Seatbelts and Child Restraints in Victoria: Driver and Passenger Responsibilities

Wearing a seatbelt correctly increases your chance of surviving a crash. People thrown out of a car in a crash are up to 25 times more likely to be killed than those who stay inside. Most crashes happen on short trips, so wear a seatbelt every time, even around the corner.

Your responsibilities as a driver

• Make sure your passengers buckle up, including those in the back.
• Drivers can be fined, and receive demerit points, if passengers are not wearing seatbelts or if children under seven are not in an appropriate child restraint.
• Passengers aged 16 or over are also fined for not wearing a seatbelt.

Children and animals

• Children need restraints that fit their size, because seatbelts are not designed to protect small bodies.
• Children under 4 must not sit in the front seat of a vehicle with two or more rows of seats.

Illegal and dangerous

• Carrying unrestrained passengers in the boot or in the back of a ute.
• Driving with any part of a passenger's body outside the door or window.

Fines and demerit points apply to these offences. Seatbelts also protect pregnant women and their unborn babies when the lap belt sits across the hips and below the baby.

Based on the Victorian Road to Solo Driving handbook and the VicRoads learner and probationary pages. Rules change from time to time, so check vicroads.vic.gov.au for the latest.