Mandatory seatbelt requirement on public transport takes effect

Starting from today, passengers must wear seatbelts when riding on public transport.

Offenders can face a maximum fine of 5,000 dollars and three months in jail.

Some Citybus staff held signs to remind passengers about the new seatbelt requirement at Central Bus Terminal this morning. A "Please buckle up" sign was stuck on the windscreen.

Under the new rule, drivers and passengers must buck up themselves if their seats are fitted with seatbelts. The government said about 3,500 buses are equipped with seatbelts, which is 60 percent of the entire fleet in Hong Kong.