• Motorists and passengers over 14 years old must wear a seat belt in the UK.seat belt receptacle image by Albert Lozano from Fotolia.com
  
  Wearing a seat belt can save your life in a car crash. Statistics show that passengers' chances of injuries and fatalities in a traffic accident are reduced by up to 50 per cent if they wear a seat belt. In the United Kingdom, motorists and passengers over the age of 14 must wear a seat belt. As of 2010, the fine for not doing so is about $93, or nearly $780 if the case goes to court.
  
  

Children

• Young children should travel in a child seat.sleeping in a car image by Renata Osinska from Fotolia.com
  
  Children up to 135 cm tall or age 12 or under should travel in a child seat or other restraint appropriate to their size. Visitors to the United Kingdom are included in the law unless it's an emergency. Major car rental companies should have car seats available. If you are traveling in the UK in a minicab, bus or coach, you should wear a seat belt if the vehicle has them.
  
  

Exemptions

• Pregnant women should wear a seat belt.pregnant image by AGphotographer from Fotolia.com
  
  Passengers or motorists whose doctor has given them a Certificate of Exemption from Compulsory Seat Belt Wearing on medical grounds are exempt from seat belt laws in the United Kingdom. You must show the police the certificate if they ask for it. Pregnant women aren't exempt unless they have a certificate from their doctor. Government guidelines recommend that pregnant women wear the diagonal seat belt strap between their breasts, placing the horizontal strap comfortably around their stomach, below the belly button.
  
  

Pets

• The Department of Transport recommends dog owners use a safety harness on their pets.patience image by John Sfondilias from Fotolia.com
  
  Pets should also be safely restrained when traveling in the car. As well as the risk of an unrestrained animal disturbing the driver, a pet could be seriously injured in a crash. The UK Department of Transport recommends dog owners use a safety harness suitable for their pets' size and weight. Other animals, such as cats and small dogs, should be carried in a pet carrier secured by a seat belt.