IRR on Seat Belt Installation and Use 1999

Scope, coverage, and key definitions

This IRR promotes public safety on: (1) wearing of seat belts, (2) proper installation, distribution, and sale of seat belt devices, (3) retrofitting in accordance with Section 8, and (4) posting of appropriate signage on public or for-hire vehicles.
Wearing of seat belts applies to drivers and front seat and back seat passengers of public and private motor vehicles, except private jeeps, jeepneys, passenger vans/wagons, Asian Utility Vehicles (AUV), buses, trucks, and vintage cars, where coverage is limited to drivers and front seat passengers.
Proper installation, distribution, and sale applies to manufacturers, assemblers, body builders, importers, distributors and dealers of motor vehicles.
Retroﬁtting and proper installation of required seat belt devices applies to registered owners/operators of operational, in-use or previously registered motor vehicles.
Posting of appropriate signage applies to drivers and operators.
The IRR does not apply to seatbelt assemblies for:
- Folding seats provided at aisles, loading platform or spaces other than those designed exclusively for installing seats (except where only the seat-back section can be folded);
- Single-seater seats at the side of the driver’s seat in three-wheeled motor vehicles where the steering wheel or bar rotational angle is less than seven times the rotational angle of the steering tire;
- Seats facing sideward; and
- Seats in close proximity to emergency exit.
The IRR does not apply to a passenger or operator with a physically disabling ailment or medical condition that prevents appropriate restraint, when duly certified by a licensed physician and surgeon or a licensed chiropractor stating the nature of the condition and why restraint is inappropriate.
“Motorist” means the driver of a motor vehicle.
“Seat belt device” covers any strap webbing or similar pelvic restraint/lap belt, upper torso restraint/shoulder strap, or combination thereof, including necessary buckles/fasteners and hardware/anchorage for installing the seat belt device.
“Lap Belt or Two-Point (2PT) seat belt” restrains the wearer from moving forward by passing across the front pelvic region.
“Shoulder Harness or Three-Point (3PT) seat belt” is a belt with a lap and shoulder strap restraining the wearer from moving forward and inclining the upper torso forward excessively.
“Child restraint system” refers to beds for babies, seats for infants, and seats for school children.
“Belt anchorage” refers to vehicle structure parts or seat structure parts (or any other part of the vehicle) to which safety-belt assemblies are secured.
“Seat” means a structure intended to seat one adult person (integral or not), including an individual seat or part of a bench seat for one person.
“Group of seats” and “Bench seat” define multi-seat structures and bench configurations with specified positioning relative to anchorages.
“Front seat passengers” and “Back row” define passenger seat locations for public utility jeepneys (PUJ’s) and public utility buses (PUB’s), and the row immediately behind the driver.
“Outboard passenger seat” is adjacent to the door/window; “Inboard passenger seat” is adjacent to the aisle or next to an outboard seat.
“Motor vehicle” covers private and public motor vehicles, but excludes tricycles and motorcycles.
“Private motor vehicle” includes privately owned vehicles (by individuals and juridical persons), vehicles owned by the National Government or its agencies/instrumentalities/political subdivisions including GOCCs and their subsidiaries for official use, and diplomatic vehicles.
“Public motor vehicle” is a public utility vehicle or a vehicle for hire with a valid CPC.
“Motor vehicle of running engine” means the vehicle operating and standing on any road or thoroughfare with the engine running.
“Retrofit/retroﬁtting” means installing seat belt devices and/or anchorage not included as original equipment, in accordance with Philippine National Standards (PNS).
“Vintage car/automobile” is a motor vehicle preserved for historical value in shows/exhibits/rallies and must be a 1970 model or older in this IRR.
“In-use” means operational and/or previously registered motor vehicles.

Seat belt wearing obligations and exemptions

Passengers inside a vehicle of running engine are required to wear seat belts:
- Seated facing forward in front row seats, and
- Seated in the back row (the row immediately behind the driver as defined in Section 2),
- On private cars, sports utility vehicles (SUV), and for-hire vehicles, including specified passenger locations.
Back row passengers of private motor vehicles including jeeps, jeepneys, passenger vans/wagons, AUV, buses, trucks, vintage cars, and special purpose vehicles are exempt from wearing or using seat belt devices while the vehicle is on a road or thoroughfare with the engine running.
For for-hire motor vehicles, the driver must immediately:
- Inform and require front seat passengers to wear the prescribed seat belts upon boarding; and
- If a passenger refuses, direct the passenger to take another seat where a seat belt is not required or prevent the passenger from continuing the trip.
The passenger who refuses must be informed that no insurance can be recovered in case of accident.
Owners of in-use motor vehicles (public and private) that are not equipped with required seat belt devices must retrofit within the transitional period: up to October 31, 2000 or (1) year from the date of effectivity of this IRR (as prescribed in Section 8(g), (h) & (i)).
Effective 01 November 2000, the owner of every motor vehicle operating on a public highway without required seat belts is liable under this IRR.

Rules on children in front seat

Infants and/or children aged six (6) years and below are prohibited from sitting in the front seat of any running motor vehicle.
Use of special car seats or child restraint systems for children less than six (6) years is optional.
If a motor vehicle has no back row seats, children aged six (6) years and below may sit in the front seat only if the vehicle is equipped with a child restraint system manufactured and crafted to internationally acceptable standards pending adoption of a national standard.
The provision of and installation of the child restraint system is the responsibility of the vehicle owner.

Installation, distribution, and registration requirements

Manufacturers, assemblers, body builders and dealers/distributors (MABD) must ensure appropriate and operational seat belts and seat belt anchorage are properly installed before distributing and selling motor vehicles.
Installation for in-use motor vehicles is the responsibility of the vehicle owner.
Only seats facing forward are required to have seat belts.
Outboard passenger seats in the front row, including that of the driver of new motor vehicles and all cars and SUV’s must be fitted with 3PT seat belts, except jeepneys, which may be fitted with 2PT even in the front row seats.
Other required seats of new and in-use motor vehicles (front inboard, back inboard, back outboard) must be fitted with 2PT seat belts, except special public service vehicles covered in Section 8(d).
Manufacturers/assemblers/body builders must install 3PT seat belt anchorage on all front outboard seats, except jeepneys, and at least 2PT seat belt anchorage on all other front and back row seats.
For a new vehicle type/series introduced into the market after 01 November 2000, 3PT seat belt anchorage must be installed on all back outboard seats if technically feasible.
The anchorage requirement is intended to allow the owner to change a lap belt into a shoulder harness.
For special public service vehicles (school service, tourist motor vehicles, and similar for-hire vehicles with a back row), the outboard seats of the back row must be provided with 3PT seat belts.
For buses:
- The seat/bench/group seat immediately behind a bus entrance/exit and the inboard seat in front of it must have 2PT seat belts; and
- If the bus is a school service or tourist bus, back outboard seats must have 3PT seat belts.
No manufacturers/assemblers/body builders/owners may install a seat/bench/group seat on the right side beside the driver facing sideward in buses (private or for-hire).
It is unlawful to import or cause the importation of any vehicle without an appropriate and operational seat belt device as required.
Proper installation of seat belts and seat belt anchorage is a pre-requisite to registration.
Effective 01 May 2000, no new motor vehicle may be allowed initial registration unless equipped with necessary seat belt devices, reckoned from:
- The date of the sales invoice to the end-user for manufactured/assembled/distributed vehicles; and
- The release from the Bureau of Customs for imported motor vehicles.
Effective 01 November 2000 and one (1) year after the passage of this IRR as specified in Section 11 of RA 8750, renewal of registration of in-use vehicles without necessary seat belt devices is not allowed.
LTO officials, heads of field agencies, and motor vehicle inspectors must ensure compliance, under pain of disciplinary action.
The Motor Vehicle Inspection Report (MVIR) LTO Form No. 1 must indicate seat belt and anchorage compliance.

Type specifications and required seat belt classes

All seat belts and seat belt anchorage must be constructed in accordance with PNS No. 1891, 1892 & 1893.
Passenger seat belt requirements apply generally to forward-facing passenger seats, with specified seat positioning determining whether 2PT or 3PT applies.
Front outboard seats (except jeepneys) require 3PT seat belts and corresponding 3PT seat belt anchorage.
Other required seats are generally fitted with 2PT seat belts and at least 2PT seat belt anchorage, with defined exceptions for special public service vehicles and specified bus seating/locations.
For the transitional and anchorage-change purpose, 3PT seat belt anchorage requirements allow upgrading from lap belt to shoulder harness where technically feasible.

Fines, penalties, and disciplinary liability

Enforcement of fines and penalties is effective 01 May 2000.
For violations by the driver/conductor/owner/operator:
- Failure to wear prescribed seat belt devices and/or failure to require passengers to wear prescribed seat belt devices or to take another seat where a seat belt is not required:
  - PHP 250 for the first violation;
  - PHP 500 for the second violation; and
  - PHP 1,000 plus suspension of the driver’s license for one (1) week for the third and succeeding violations.
- Failure to post appropriate signage instructing passengers of public motor vehicles required to wear seat belts to “Fasten Seat Belts”: PHP 300 for every violation.
- Failure to retrofit/install the required seat belt/anchorage/seat orientation as prescribed in this IRR:
  - PHP 1,000 for the first violation;
  - PHP 2,000 for the second violation; and
  - PHP 3,000 plus suspension of the Certificate of Registration (CR) for three (3) months for the third and succeeding violations, imposed on the owner.
For violations by any manufacturer, assembler, importer, and distributor:
- For every unit found without seat belt devices installed prior to distribution to the public:
  - PHP 5,000 and suspension of the license to manufacture/assemble/import/distribute for one (1) year for the first violation;
  - PHP 10,000 and suspension of the license for two (2) years for the second violation; and
  - PHP 20,000 and suspension of the license for five (5) years for the third and subsequent violations.
Any DOTC/LTO employee who registers or causes legislation of any vehicle not fitted with appropriate seat belts (except vehicles eligible for exemption under this IRR) is liable to disciplinary action.

Information campaign and use of collected fines

The LTO, in coordination with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), and private agencies and organizations, must undertake a regular nationwide Information, Education and Communication (IEC) campaign to stress the safety and health value of seat belts to support effective enforcement.
The LTO, in coordination with local government units (LGU’s), must utilize the services of citizen groups and community organizations to promote public safety awareness in observance of the Act.
Fines collected for enforcement of this IRR must be used exclusively for implementing its provisions, including necessary promotion campaigns for seat belt use.

Repeal and amendment; structure of the IRR

Any order, circular, memorandum, issuance, rule, or regulation (or any part) contrary or inconsistent with this order is deemed repealed, modified, or amended accordingly.
The IRR is implemented for guidance and strict compliance, and is effective only after the combined publication and ONAR receipt timing requirements are met.