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Compulsory Seat Belts. From when?
907 - 23/5/10 at 06:28 AM

Hi All,

My mate John bought a 1967 "E plate" MGB a year ago and it has just failed it's MOT for not having seat belts.

He was under the impression that it didn't need them, and has old MOT's with the old "tick sheets"
where the seat belt box has been marked N/A.

The car does have the threaded holes in the chassis for fitting them.


He has ordered new belts, but is just curious as to the exact date that seat belts became compulsory.

Anyone know?

Cheers
Paul G

PS. vvvvv John's car vvvvv Rescued attachment MGB.jpg
Rescued attachment MGB.jpg


nitram38 - 23/5/10 at 06:33 AM

Owners of cars registered in Britain on or after 1 January 1965, were required by a law to have front belts fitted


907 - 23/5/10 at 06:46 AM

Cheers Nitram.

I will say to him;

"Fancy spending all that cash on a car with dodgy MOT's."

Thanks again
Paul G


The Knobs - 23/5/10 at 11:03 AM

But no legal obligation to wear them until 1983, go figure.


Ninehigh - 23/5/10 at 12:28 PM

Yeah I was going to say it was 1981...
There's no law about rear belts until 1983 though.

Does beg the question how the hell has it gotten through 40 tests?


907 - 23/5/10 at 02:01 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Ninehigh
Yeah I was going to say it was 1981...
There's no law about rear belts until 1983 though.

Does beg the question how the hell has it gotten through 40 tests?




Six years ago the car had a complete rebuild, down to the last nut & bolt. (Took 2 years)
John has an album of photo's including the bare shell being welded and painted.

I would guess that the tatty seat belts were removed at this stage, and on assembly new ones were never fitted.

Maybe only the last 3 MOT's then.

Thanks for your posts everyone.

Paul G


Ninehigh - 23/5/10 at 03:00 PM

See now I'd have passed it myself cos I'd have thought seatbelts weren't compulsory until 1981.

Just remembering now I've seen a 1970something M plate Triumph Dolomite that didn't have seatbelts in...


Grimsdale - 24/5/10 at 08:18 AM

my mum's '81 fiesta didn't have rear belts until we fitted them. Methinks it's the tester's interpretation. If i had a pound for every time my kit has failed on something that has been the same since the car was built, i'd have about a tenner.


Ninehigh - 25/5/10 at 10:52 AM

No my 82 Escort didn't have rear belts either, but it had the fittings as they had to be in by 83 iirc.

Thing is the OP's on about front belts


scootz - 25/5/10 at 11:03 AM

Rear belts are a whole different story...