Where should your seatbelt be worn?

Buckling up is a no-brainer, but where should your seatbelt be positioned on your body for maximum efficacy and safety? And what are the penalties for not wearing your seatbelt? We investigate.

Wearing a seatbelt has been mandatory in Australia since 1970, when the Victorian state government implemented legislation making it compulsory – with the other states and territories following suit shortly thereafter.

Since it was invented by Volvo in 1959, the three-point seatbelt has seen rapid advancements in both geometry and active safety intervention, with the introduction of technology like pretensioners and load limiters.

While fastening your seatbelt is imperative for your personal safety, it’s just as important to position it correctly on your body for maximum efficacy. 

Here, we answer some commonly asked questions about seatbelt safety.

Where should your seatbelt be worn?

According to information sourced from the Australasian New Car Assessment Program or ANCAP, there’s a specific way to position your seatbelt to minimise the effect of crash forces on the body. 

The seatbelt should be positioned across the shoulder and low across the hips. It should not touch the face or neck and it should not be twisted.

This placement will help ensure any crash forces are transmitted through the bony structure of the shoulder or collarbone and the pelvis, and will prevent the seatbelt from riding up into the abdomen – a phenomenon known as ‘submarining’.

Submarining occurs when the seatbelt slides up over the top of the pelvis and into the abdomen, meaning the seatbelt forces affect the internal organs when the torso is displaced in a crash.

Where should a seatbelt be positioned on a child?

Until they’re 145cm tall, children should be placed in a booster seat, which will ensure the seatbelt loads the child’s body correctly through the pelvis and shoulder.

Regardless, children’s seatbelts should be positioned in the same manner as adult seatbelts, across the shoulder and low across the hips. 

According to ANCAP, the safety equipment for the rear seats – predominantly the outboard seats – has improved significantly over the last five years.

Additionally, ANCAP includes rear seat protection in its assessments, testing features such as pretensioners, load limiters and seatbelt geometry for both adult and child occupants. 

What is the fine for not wearing a seatbelt in Australia?

Every Australian state has substantial penalties in place for drivers and passengers who are found not wearing a seatbelt.

NEW SOUTH WALES: The minimum fine for a driver or passenger not wearing a seatbelt in New South Wales is a $352 fine and three demerit points. This can rise to as much as $1487 and six demerit points if you have four or more unrestrained passengers. Learn more here.

VICTORIA: The minimum fine for a driver or passenger not wearing a seatbelt in Victoria is $370 and three demerit points. You can also be fined if your passengers aren’t wearing a seatbelt. Penalties apply to drivers and passengers who are not wearing seatbelts, or not wearing them properly. As the driver, both you and an adult passenger can be fined for a seatbelt offence. Learn more here.

QUEENSLAND: The penalty in Queensland for not wearing a seatbelt is $1078 and four demerit points for drivers and passengers aged 16 years or older. According to the Queensland government’s Street Smarts page: “Drivers can also be fined over $1078 and four points for each and every passenger in their vehicle not wearing their seatbelt or approved child restraint, regardless of the passengers’ age”. Learn more here.

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY: In the ACT, the fine for a driver or passenger not having a seatbelt properly fastened is $353 and three demerit points. Drivers can be fined for each individual person travelling in their car without a seatbelt. Learn more here.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA: In South Australia, not wearing a seatbelt attracts a $403 fine and three demerit points, rising to $476 and five demerit points if more than one passenger is found not wearing a seatbelt. Learn more here.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA: In Western Australia, the fine for not wearing a seatbelt is $550 and four demerits for an unrestrained driver or passenger, rising in value for every additional unrestrained passenger. Learn more here.

TASMANIA: In Tasmania, penalties for seatbelt and child restraint offences now range from a $300 to $350 fine and three demerit points for drivers and $300 fine for passengers. Learn more here.

NORTHERN TERRITORY: The fine for a driver or passenger not wearing a seatbelt in the Northern Territory is $500 and three demerit points. Learn more here.

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