Motorists could soon face three penalty points on their driving licence for failing to wear a seat belt, under new rules that may be implemented under Andy Burnham. The Labour Road Safety Strategy has proposed tougher measures, which would see drivers penalised for not wearing the crucial safety device.
Current rules and proposed changes
Currently, road users are only fined for not wearing a seat belt, with a fixed penalty notice of £100 or a maximum fine of £500 if the case goes to court. The offence is not endorsable, meaning no penalty points are incurred. However, the new proposals would change this, adding three points to the licences of drivers and passengers who fail to wear a seat belt, as well as drivers who fail to ensure children are suitably restrained.
The Department for Transport (DfT) stated: “The sanction for failing to do so is a fixed penalty notice of £100 or, if the case goes to court, a maximum fine of £500. Failure to wear a seat belt is not currently an endorsable offence; that means the offender does not incur penalty points.”
The DfT added: “We propose that 3 penalty points should apply to all drivers who fail to wear a seat belt or who fail to ensure that any child in the vehicle wears an appropriate child restraint.”
Consultation and impact
A consultation on the issue was opened on January 7, 2026, and ran until May 11. The DfT confirmed that a summary of responses, including any next steps, would be published months after the consultation closed. The issue has been inherited by Andy Burnham, who now oversees the matter.
Penalty points can significantly impact car insurance premiums, and motorists are usually banned from the road if they incur 12 points within three years. Seat belts are one of the most important safety features in vehicles, and a previous analysis of 24 studies in Norway found that seat belts reduce fatal and non-fatal injuries by 60% for front seat passengers and by up to 44% for rear seat passengers.
