Drivers
You and all passengers in your vehicle must always wear a seatbelt or child restraint when driving. Driving includes when the vehicle is moving or stationary (for example, when stopped at traffic lights), but not when parked.
As the driver of the vehicle, it is your responsibility to ensure you and every passenger in the vehicle is correctly restrained for the duration of your trip. This does not apply to buses or motorcycles.
Passengers
In Queensland, everyone 7 years or older must wear a correctly fitted seatbelt. Children up to 7 years must be in a properly fastened and adjusted Australian Standard approved child restraint. Check that the seatbelts are not frayed, loose, twisted or knotted.
Exemption from wearing a seatbelt
Exemptions from the seatbelt rules apply in very limited circumstances.
You will only be exempt from the requirement to wear a seatbelt if:
- You are the driver and are reversing the vehicle.
- You carry a current seatbelt exemption certificate, signed by an Australian doctor registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. The certificate must state that you can 't wear a seatbelt due to a medical condition or disability.
- The vehicle was originally manufactured without seatbelts fitted and you are 7 years or older. Children under 7 years of age are not permitted to travel in any vehicle without correctly fitted seatbelts or child restraints.
- You are required to get in and out of the vehicle frequently while engaged in door-to-door pick-up or delivery of goods, and you drive at no more than 25km/h.
Find more information about seatbelt exemptions for historic vehicles.
Some drivers are also exempt from the requirement to ensure their passengers are wearing a seatbelt in certain circumstances. You are exempt from this requirement if:
- you are a bus driver
- you are a taxi or rideshare driver and your passenger is over 16
- you are a taxi or rideshare driver, your passenger is under 7 and you do not have an Australian Standard approved child restraint in the vehicle.
Seatbelt exemption certificates
In extremely rare circumstances, your doctor can provide a seatbelt exemption certificate if you have a medical condition or disability impacting your ability to wear a seatbelt. The Department of Transport and Main Roads does not grant seatbelt exemptions.
If you or your passenger is unable to wear a properly adjusted and fastened seatbelt due to a medical condition or disability, you should speak with your doctor or allied health professional about alternative restraint options before asking for a seatbelt exemption certificate.
Applying for a seatbelt exemption certificate
If you think you may be eligible for a seatbelt exemption certificate, there are important steps you will need to take:
- Book an appointment with your doctor – they are responsible for determining your eligibility for an exemption, including whether any conditions should apply
- Talk to your doctor about your reason for requesting a seatbelt exemption certificate
- Your doctor must assess you against the standards outlined in Appendix 7 of the Austroads' Assessing Fitness to Drive publication.
- If satisfied that you meet the criteria, you and your doctor should complete form F2690.
- Your certificate must:
- Be signed by your doctor
- Display the date of issue
- Display an expiry date of no more than 12 months after issue
- State that, in the opinion of your doctor, you should not wear a seatbelt due to medical condition or disability.
Register your exemption certificate
If you have a seatbelt exemption certificate, you must have it with you when you are in a vehicle and show it to a police officer, if requested.
You should also register your seatbelt exemption certificate with the Department of Transport and Main Roads so we have a record of it. While this may not always prevent a camera-detected seatbelt infringement from being issued, it will assist during the infringement enquiry process.
It is a serious offence to give false or misleading information under the Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995 and doing so may incur a penalty.
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