Ireland has transposed into national law a new EU legislation requiring that drivers and passengers in all categories of vehicles must wear their seatbelts.
It is now compulsory to wear seatbelts in all vehicles, including coaches and lorries. The new law has also tightened up measures to improve the safety of children travelling in cars, lorries and coaches.
Children shorter than 1.35 metres tall, or travelling in cars or lorries fitted with safety devices, must now be restrained by an approved device adapted to their weight. Children taller than 1.35m are permitted to use an adult seatbelt. In addition, the use of rearward-facing child restraints is now banned in the front passenger seat unless its airbag has been deactivated.
Under previous European legislation, it was compulsory to use seatbelts only in vehicles below 3.5 tonnes.
However, under this new directive, which became Irish law after the Minister for Transport introduced it under a ministerial regulation to meet yesterday's deadline set by the European Commission, drivers and their passengers are now required to wear seatbelts in every vehicle where they are fitted.
"I am convinced that this measure will save thousands of lives. In so doing it will help to meet the target of halving the number of deaths on the roads by 2010," said Jacques Barrot, the European Commission Vice-President with special responsibility for transport.
The new directive also requires the use of restraint systems specially adapted for children.
However, Ireland has been granted an exemption for taxis, thus removing their obligation under the new law to carry child restraints for children aged under three.
The European Commission says that failure to use seatbelts is the second biggest cause of road deaths, after speeding, and ahead of drink driving. A study carried out for the Commission came to the conclusion that, in the best-case scenario, actions targeting the use of seat belts would save 5,500 lives a year in the EU.
With the Commission's agreement, Ireland has also been granted a number of exemptions to ensure that the gardaí, security and emergency services can perform their duties properly.