Following the recent press surrounding the Queen and Prince Philip, it is clear that not everyone values the importance of wearing their seatbelts.
The law requiring all drivers to wear their seatbelts came in to force nearly 36 years ago on 31 January 1983. It is safe to say that thousands of lives have been saved and countless injuries prevented as a result of drivers and passengers wearing their seatbelts.
If the safety benefits alone aren’t enough to encourage people to buckle up then perhaps the hefty £500 penalty fine would be enough to persuade you.
However, the punishment for not wearing your seatbelt doesn’t stop there. If you are unfortunate enough to have suffered injury in an accident whilst not wearing your seatbelt there may well be a deduction in the amount of money you could receive.
By failing to wear your seatbelt the law takes the view that you have contributed to your own injuries. The courts have found that if your injuries would have been prevented had you been wearing a seatbelt then your damages will be reduced by 25%. If it could be argued that your injuries were made worse by not wearing a seatbelt then the reduction is 15%.
A specialist solicitor will obtain medical evidence to help determine what, if any, deduction should be accepted therefore if you have suffered injury whilst not wearing your seatbelt we strongly suggest that you seek legal advice before liaising with the Defendants.
Accordingly, if you have been injured in a road traffic accident that wasn’t your fault please contact Fisher Jones Greenwood on 01206 700113 or email [email protected] where they can provide you with free initial advice.
Recent Posts