British PM Rishi Sunak fined for not carrying seatbelt in transferring automobile

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was fined by native police for not carrying a seatbelt whereas filming a social media video in a transferring automobile.

New Delhi,UPDATED: Jan 21, 2023 12:23 IST

British PM Rishi Sunak filmed the video whereas seated within the again seat of a transferring automobile. (File picture/AFP)

By India Today Web Desk: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been fined for not carrying a seatbelt in a transferring automobile whereas filming a social media video.

Lancashire Police, which had been “looking into” the matter, confirmed it had issued a hard and fast penalty discover to Sunak, which entails a 100 kilos nice for not carrying a seatbelt in a transferring automobile.

“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,” Lancashire Police mentioned in a press release.

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On Thursday, Sunak apologised for a “brief error of judgment” in eradicating his seatbelt to movie a video whereas driving in north-west England.

“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,” Sunak’s spokesperson mentioned.

“The Prime Minister believes everyone should wear a seatbelt,” the spokesperson added.

In the UK, if a passenger is caught failing to put on a seatbelt whereas in a automobile, except lined by a sound medical exemption, will be given an on-the-spot nice of 100 kilos, rising to 500 kilos if the case goes to courtroom.

In England, passengers aged 14 and over are liable for making certain they put on a seat belt in automobiles, vans and different items autos if one is fitted and drivers are liable for passengers underneath 14. Exemptions embrace having a physician’s certificates for a medical purpose or being in a automobile used for police, fireplace or different rescue companies.

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Sunak filmed the video whereas sitting within the again seat of a transferring automobile to advertise his authorities’s new Levelling Up Fund bulletins to fund over 100 tasks across the nation. Police motorbikes might be seen escorting his automobile as he addressed the digicam.

The authorities lately additionally thought of toughening seatbelt guidelines to make sure drivers not carrying them may additionally obtain penalty factors on their licence.

Latest Department for Transport figures recommend round 30 per cent of individuals killed in automobiles on the roads within the UK in 2021 weren’t in a seatbelt.

(With inputs from PTI)

Published On:

Jan 21, 2023