During a targeted inspection conducted in Vilnius County, officers of the Traffic Police Board of the Police Department under the Ministry of the Interior assessed whether drivers driving on city routes public transport bus drivers use seat belts properly when providing passenger transportation services. The measure was intended to increase traffic safety and prevent violations. The procedure for using safety devices is violated more than 20 thousand times per year.
After inspecting about 40 buses during the day, it was determined that 17 drivers did not comply with the requirements of the Road Traffic Rules - administrative offense protocols were drawn up for violations of seat belt use in accordance with Article 432, Part 1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses.
During the inspection, a disturbing trend emerged – in many buses, it was found that the seat belt buckles were intentionally damaged: cut or disassembled, so the drivers did not even have the opportunity to fasten them. This means that vehicles that are technically in poor condition are being used for trips, which poses a risk to the safety of both drivers and passengers.
We remind you that for this type of offense, the driver may be fined from 30 to 50 euros, and for a repeated violation - from 60 to 90 euros. An additional penalty may also be imposed - deprivation of the right to drive for 1 to 2 months.
In addition, if a damaged seat belt buckle is found on a bus, the vehicle's mandatory technical inspection document may be revoked. The technical inspection documents for three inspected buses were revoked.
Police recalls that seat belts are an important safety measure in every vehicle, and their condition and use directly determine the protection of the lives of road users in the event of an accident.
According to police data, 2024 m.done 20 770 seat belt violations (even more in 2023 – 24391) Of these, 16 were committed by vehicle drivers.1 thousand 700 drivers committed this violation repeatedly last year. Almost 3 passengers also failed to fasten their seat belts while driving.
Total Lithuanian Police in 2024 explained 21 335 Violations of the rules for the use of safety equipment (belts, seats, motorcycle helmets).
