What are the penalties for not wearing a seatbelt in the passenger seat?
2 Answers
On ordinary roads, the fine for not wearing a seatbelt in the passenger seat is 5-10 yuan; on highways, the fine is 20 yuan. Below are the penalties related to not wearing a seatbelt: When driving on highways, if the driver fails to use a seatbelt as required, the penalty is a 50-yuan fine and 2 demerit points. When driving on urban expressways, if the driver fails to use a seatbelt as required, the penalty is a 50-yuan fine and 2 demerit points. When traveling on highways, if a passenger fails to wear a seatbelt as required, the penalty is a 20-yuan fine. When driving on roads other than highways or urban expressways, if the driver fails to use a seatbelt as required, the penalty is a 50-yuan fine with no demerit points. According to the Road Traffic Safety Law, when a motor vehicle is in motion, passengers in the front seat must also wear seatbelts. The regulation requiring passengers in the front seat to wear seatbelts has been clearly stipulated in the old traffic rules. For any passenger in the front seat not wearing a seatbelt, the on-duty traffic police can impose a fine of 5-10 yuan.
If the front passenger is caught not wearing a seatbelt, the driver may be fined around 200 yuan, with the exact amount varying by region. Some areas also impose penalty points, usually deducting 1 to 2 points. As someone who has driven for many years, I once had a friend in the passenger seat who forgot to buckle up. The traffic police pulled us over and fined me 200 yuan on the spot—I was quite annoyed because the rules require drivers to actively remind passengers. Worse, in an accident, not wearing a seatbelt could lead to serious injury or death. The fine is meant to prevent such tragedies; the cost is far less than a human life. Now, I’ve made it a habit to verbally remind or help the passenger fasten their seatbelt as soon as I start the car. Traffic laws are similar across regions, though penalties for overloading or drunk driving are harsher. Safety first, after all.
