Mandatory seatbelt requirement on public transport takes effect

A new law takes effect today requiring passengers to wear seatbelts when riding public transport. Offenders can face a maximum fine of 5,000 dollars and three months in jail.

At the Central Bus Terminal, several Citybus staff held signs to remind passengers about the new seatbelt requirement. A notice of "Please buckle up" was also placed on the windscreen.

TVB News took a bus to Sai Wan Ho to see how passengers adapt to the new rule.

On the upper deck, all seats were fitted with seatbelts. These passengers automatically buckled themselves up, citing safety as the main reason. But for those who choose to stand in the lower deck, the law does not apply.

"I think there is a loophole within the ordinance. (I mean,) Isn't standing (on the bus) more dangerous than sitting? " she questioned.

Another passenger said he did not wear seatbelts all the time on public transport before Sunday. He also commented on the 5,000-dollar fine which one could face for not wearing seatbelts.

Joseph said: "In the past, if I was on the highway, maybe I would not wear it. Overall, I think all the fines in Hong Kong (are) very high. Yes, I think it's very high, but I think it's in Hong Kong standard."

Authorities will give a grace period to passengers in the early stage after the rule has been implemented by reminding them to wear seatbelts, instead of fining them straight away.

While not every bus is fully equipped with seatbelts, a few passengers were caught not wearing one even when their seats were fitted with seatbelts. "I thought I didn't have to use a belt because others in front of me also did not buckle up," she said.

This man, meanwhile, said he forgot about it.

As of early January, the government said about 3,500 buses were equipped with seatbelts, roughly 60 percent of the entire fleet in Hong Kong.

Coaches and sightseeing buses are also affected by the seatbelt rule.

For this mainland tourist, she said seatbelts can become a hassle when it came to photo-taking. "That will restrict me from posing freely," she said.