Regulatory Affair: UK Police fine PM Rishi Sunak for traffic offence

*The Lancashire Police have fined British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for failure to wear seatbelt while filming a social media video in a moving car, in North-West England

*Sunak ‘fully accepts this was a mistake and apologises about it,’ says Spokesperson

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been fined for not wearing a seatbelt in a moving car while filming a social media video in the country.

ConsumerConnect learnt the Lancashire Police, who had been “looking into” the matter, confirmed it had issued a fixed penalty notice to Sunak.

The penalty involves a £100 (Pounds) fine for not wearing a seatbelt in a moving car, agency report said.

The Police in a statement said: “Following the circulation of a video on social media, showing an individual failing to wear a seat belt while a passenger in a moving car in Lancashire we have today (Friday, January 20) issued a 42-year-old man from London with a conditional offer of fixed penalty.”

How PM was caught unawares

Sunak had filmed the video while sitting in the back seat of a moving car to promote his government’s new Levelling Up Fund announcements to fund over 100 projects around the country.

Police motorbikes could be seen escorting his car as he addressed the camera.

Sunak takes responsibility, apologises for ‘error of judgement’

PM Sunak, Thursday January 19, however, apologised for a “brief error of judgment” in removing his seatbelt to film a video while driving in North-West England.

Sunak’s Spokesperson said: “That was a brief error of judgement. The PM removed his seatbelt to film a small clip.

“He fully accepts this was a mistake and apologises about it.

“The Prime Minister believes everyone should wear a seatbelt.”

On traffic regulation in UK

It was learnt that in the UK, if a passenger is caught failing to wear a seatbelt while in a car, unless covered by a valid medical exemption, can be given an on-the-spot fine of £100, increasing to £500, if the case goes to court.

Likewise, in England, passengers aged 14 and over are responsible for ensuring they wear a seat belt in cars, vans and other goods vehicles if one is fitted and drivers are responsible for passengers under 14. Exemptions include having a doctor’s certificate for a medical reason or being in a vehicle used for police, fire or other rescue services, report said.

The government recently also considered toughening seatbelt rules to ensure drivers not wearing them could also receive penalty points on their licence.

In terms of statistics, latest Department for Transport figures suggest around 30 percent of people killed in cars on the roads in the UK 2021 were not in a seatbelt.

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