The Motor Vehicles (Wearing of Seat Belts) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015

Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland

2015 No. 24

Road Traffic And Vehicles

The Motor Vehicles (Wearing of Seat Belts) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015

Made

27th January 2015

Affirmed by resolution of the Assembly on 10th March 2015

Coming into operation

20th April 2015

The Department of the Environment makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by Article 24(3) and (6) of the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1995(1).

Citation and commencement

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Motor Vehicles (Wearing of Seat Belts) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 and shall come into operation on 20th April 2015.

Amendment of the Motor Vehicles (Wearing of Seat Belts) Regulations

2.—(1) The Motor Vehicles (Wearing of Seat Belts) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1993(2) are amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) and (3).

(2) In regulation 2(4)(a) (ii) (general interpretation) after “Regulations”, insert “or marked in accordance with paragraphs 4, 5.4 and 5.6 of Regulation Number 129 of the Economic Commission for Europe of the United Nations on uniform provisions concerning the approval of enhanced Child Restraint Systems used on board of motor vehicles(3)”.

3.  In regulation 8(4) (description of seat belts to be worn by children)—

(a)in paragraph (1)—

(i)in sub-paragraph (a) for “or (b)” substitute “, (b) or (c)”; and

(ii)in sub-paragraph (c) after “paragraph (2)(a)” insert “or (c)”.

(b)in paragraph (2)—

(i)at the end of sub-paragraph (b) for the full stop substitute a semi colon; and

(ii)after sub-paragraph (b) add—

(c)a child restraint with markings required under paragraphs 4, 5.4 and 5.6 of Regulation Number 129 of the Economic Commission for Europe of the United Nations on uniform provisions concerning the approval of enhanced Child Restraint Systems used on board of motor vehicles if the markings indicate that it is suitable for his height, weight and age..

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of the Environment on 27th January 2015

Legal seal

Iain Greenway

A senior officer of the

Department of the Environment

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations make provision relating to the wearing of seat belts and restraints by children in motor vehicles.

They amend the Motor Vehicles (Wearing of Seat Belts) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1993 to implement the requirements of Council Directive 2014/37/EC (OJ No L 59 28.2.2014, p32).

The definition of “child restraint” is amended to include a seat belt marked in accordance with paragraphs 4, 5.4 and 5.6 of Regulation Number 129 of the Economic Commission for Europe of the United Nations on uniform provisions concerning the approval of enhanced Child Restraint Systems used on board of motor vehicles (regulation 2(2)).

The description of seat belts that may be worn by children is amended to include child restraints that bear the markings required under paragraphs 4, 5.4 and 5.6 of Regulation 129 of the Economic Commission for Europe of the United Nations on uniform provisions concerning the approval of enhanced Child Restraint Systems used on board of motor vehicles (regulation 2(2)).

An Explanatory Memorandum and Regulatory Impact Assessment have been produced and are available from Road Safety and Vehicle Regulation Division, Department of the Environment, Clarence Court, 10-18 Adelaide Street, Town Parks, Belfast BT2 8GB or viewed online at http://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr.

(1)

S.I. 1995/2994 (N.I. 18); Article 24(3) was substituted by the Motor Vehicles (Wearing of Seat Belts) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007 (S.R. 2007 No. 7)

(2)

S.R.1993 No. 362; relevant amending Regulations are S.R. 2007 No. 8

(3)

Regulation Number 129 of the Economic Commission for Europe of the United Nations on uniform provisions concerning the approval of enhanced Child Restraint Systems used on board of motor vehicles was corrected by Corrigendum 1 and amended by Amendments 1 and 2

(4)

Regulation 8(1) was amended by regulation 7 of S.R. 2007 No. 8