Do you take off your seatbelt when reversing?
There are only a few motoring situations where you don’t have to wear a seatbelt. Reversing your vehicle is one of them.
The Australian Road Rules say that the driver of a motor vehicle must wear a properly adjusted and fastened seatbelt, unless they’re reversing or are exempt from wearing a seatbelt.
There are several reasons drivers (and passengers) can be exempt from wearing seatbelts, which are covered on the mylicence.sa.gov.au website.
Backing up
While it might be legal to not wear a seatbelt when reversing, RAA advises drivers to buckle up to improve safety.
Phil Kellett from RAA Driving School recommends keeping your seatbelt on, even when reversing.
“I encourage buckling up, and staying buckled up every time a student gets in the car, to reinforce the practice,” Phil says.
However, if students are learning to reverse a trailer, boat or caravan, Phil recommends unbuckling their seatbelt.
“You’ll be constantly looking behind, and right to left, and a seatbelt could be a hindrance in this situation,” he says.
POLL: Do you unbuckle your seatbelt when reversing?
Remember, after you’ve completed your reversing manoeuvre, you must buckle up before putting your car into drive, or first gear in a manual.
Passengers must have their seatbelts on before the car starts moving, even when reversing.
Penalty
If a driver or passenger aged 16 years or older fails to wear a properly adjusted and fastened seatbelt, they could be fined $448, plus a $105 Victims of Crime Levy and three demerit points.
For failing to ensure passengers are wearing seatbelts, a driver could incur a $448 fine, plus a $105 Victims of Crime Levy and three demerit points. This increases to $530 and five demerit point if more than one passenger is unbuckled.