Blitz on 74--tonner seat belts
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• Light goods vehicles, as well as cars, will in future he refused an annual MoT test certificate if they are not fitted with seat belts when required by regulation. This will be the effect if draft regulations, circulated to interested organizations by the Transport Minister on Monday, are accepted.
Most goods vehicles not exceeding 30 cwt unladen weight first registered on or after April 1 1967 must be equipped with seat belts for the driver and front seat passenger and the Ministry says it has reliable evidence that many owners of 1965 and 1966 vehicles have not had belts fitted.
Under the proposals, the annual vehicle test will be extended to include inspection of the vehicles which are required to be fitted with seat belts to ensure that they have the required anchorage points and seat belts, and that the belts are properly secured to the anchorage points. In addition the belts must be marked with the registered certification trade mark of the BSI. If belts are not fitted, a test certificate will not be issued.
The other items covered in the annual test are brakes, steering, lights (including reflectors) and tyres.
Where a vehicle has to be re-tested because it was not fitted with seat belts, the fee for the re-test will normally be 25s except where the owner leaves the vehicle with the authorized examiner carrying out the test for the necessary work to be done, when the fee will normally be 1s 3d.