EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
Regulation 5 of the Motor Vehicles (Wearing of Seat Belts) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1993 (S.R. 1993 No. 362) (“the 1993 Regulations”) requires a person driving or riding in a motor vehicle who is aged 14 years and over to wear an adult seat belt. This requirement is subject to a number of exceptions.
These Regulations amend regulation 6(1) of the 1993 Regulations by inserting an exemption from the requirement to wear a seat belt for persons riding in a motor ambulance while that person is providing medical treatment to a patient which due to its nature or the medical condition of the patient cannot be delayed. Patient is defined as having the same meaning as in the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972 (“the 1972 Order”). In the 1972 Order patient is defined as including an expectant or nursing mother and a lying-in woman.
These Regulations adopt the definition of motor ambulance as set out in regulation 2(1) of the Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999 (S.R. 1999 No. 454). For the purpose of these Regulations a motor ambulance is a purpose built motor vehicle which is specially constructed and equipped for medical purposes.
Council of 16th December 1991 on the approximation of the laws of Member States relating to compulsory use of safety belts in vehicles (OJ No. L 373, 31.12.1991, p. 26), as amended by Directive 2003/20/EC (OJ No. L 115, 9.5.2003, p. 63), provides under Article 6 that Member States may, with the agreement of the European Commission, exempt emergency services from the requirement to wear a safety belt to ensure that they can perform their duties properly. The agreement of the European Commission was obtained in respect of the proposed amendment on 17th June 2014.
An Explanatory Memorandum has been produced and is available from Road Safety and Vehicle Regulation Division, Department for Infrastructure, Clarence Court, 10-18 Adelaide Street, Town Parks, Belfast BT2 8GB or online at http://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr.