Seat Belt Fines & Safety

[fishtank]

LTB 264/11 - Royal Mail Letters Collection & Delivery Van Drivers - Seat Belt Fines & Safety:


No. 264 /11
Ref V1
Date: 21 March 2011

To: All Postal Branches
Regional Safety Forums
Royal Mail CWU Area Safety Reps

Dear Colleagues,

Royal Mail Letters Collection & Delivery Van Drivers - Seat Belt Fines & Safety:

The Health, Safety & Environment Department is once again re-issuing advice to Branches and Area Safety Reps for Royal Mail Letters Collection and Delivery Van Drivers that they have no exemption from Seatbelt Laws!
The exemption that used to exist was removed many years ago. However, this urban myth has clearly gained the status of folklore by continual retelling and members mistakenly believe exemption still exists and many unfortunately end up finding out the hard way, at their cost, that it doesn't!
With the recent introduction of more Car Derived Vans (CDVs) / Shared Van delivery Routes during the introduction of new delivery methods revisions a significant number of drivers have been caught without a seatbelt on and have received a Fixed penalty notice fine of £60. If the matter goes to court then a Maximum Fine of £500 applies.
The only time a Driver is exempt from wearing a seat belt if you're:
· a driver who is reversing, or supervising a learner driver who is reversing
· in a vehicle being used for police, fire and rescue services
· a passenger in a trade vehicle and you're investigating a fault
· driving a goods vehicle on deliveries that is travelling no more than 50 metres between stops
· a licensed taxi driver who is 'plying for hire' or carrying passengers
Clearly the above does not apply to Royal Mail Drivers. A doctor may decide that an individual under certain medical circumstances may be exempted from wearing a seat belt on medical grounds. If so, they will issue a 'Certificate of Exemption from Compulsory Seat Belt Wearing', which must be kept in the vehicle and shown to the police if stopped. Individuals will need to tell the employer and their private car insurer that they're travelling without a seat belt. Royal Mail may decide that individuals with certain medical conditions are not fit to drive their commercial vehicles.
Remember: Seatbelts save 2000 lives a year. A driver is twice as likely to die in a crash if they don't wear a seat belt. Seat belts reduce the risk of dying in a 30mph crash by 60 per cent. Every day someone dies because they do not think they always need to use a seat belt. THEY DO! This tragic waste could be avoided if everyone took the simple step of belting up every time they got in a vehicle. That's why the DfT run hard-hitting campaigns which highlight the injuries drivers are likely to receive if they are involved in a collision when not using a seatbelt - even at low speeds. These campaigns, along with the fixed penalty fines for not using a seatbelt are aimed at fewer people needlessly getting killed on our roads.
Attached for your information are two Royal Mail/CWU/Unite Safety Posters covering the Seat Belts and Cycle Helmets Campaigns, first agreed and issued in 2008.



Yours Sincerely


Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

[TrueBlueTerrier]

The 2 attachments

wear a seatbelt.png

wear helmet.png

[DGP1]

When you get into the routine of putting the seatbelt on you don't even think about doing it..............but with the new van not having the seatbelt alarm de-activated it should be less of a problem (hate that seatbelt alarm ).

[Dorset Plodder]

I now find I'm suffering from Repetitive Strain Injury from repeatedly fastening and unfastening my seat belt ever 50 metres when I'm on a packets run!
I never used to bother, but with the new Bippo vans I found I was suffering from a repeated Buzzing noise ringing in my ears! I discovered I could stop it by fastening my seat belt.

[POSTMAN]

I now find I'm suffering from Repetitive Strain Injury from repeatedly fastening and unfastening my seat belt ever 50 metres when I'm on a packets run!
I never used to bother, but with the new Bippo vans I found I was suffering from a repeated Buzzing noise ringing in my ears! I discovered I could stop it by fastening my seat belt.

Did you post without actually reading the thread you posted in?

[Dorset Plodder]

Sure did Postman Thought we were discussing the compulsory use of seat belts? The Law is the Law, I understand that, just pointing out that some driving jobs i.e Long Distance Distribution are more suited to this Law than others i.e Driving around a housing estate with a van full of packets thrown out by the Cycle Guys (Still No Revision/Poop n Scoop).
Got into a van the other day and the previous user had engaged the seat belt (to stop the alarm) and then sat on it! That's certainly not improving his H & S.
Thought we might be covered by the "Goods vehicle delivering and travelling no more than 50 metres" section.

[andy2007]

Although personally, I think everyone should wear their seatbelts anyway. I must admit you have a point there. It's definately something which needs to be clarified. But until it is, I wouldn't risk it. If the Police spot you, and you're not covered by the exemption, then you'd be fined. But considering that if an Airbag goes off without you wearing the seatbelt, it can cause serious injuries, in addition to any that you'd have suffered anyway. Is it REALLY worth avoiding the inconvenience of putting your seatbelt on?
They're designed to get to the position you'll reach wearing your seatbelt, in a fraction of a second. If you've ended up closer, before it's finished inflating, it'll hit you at well over 100MPH! That's why you should never use a rear facing child car seat in the front passenger seat, if there's an active Airbag fitted (you can deactivate the passenger Airbag on some cars). Because the back of the car seat, is in the danger zone for the airbag, and it will cause worse inuries, than if the child was unrestrained.