Section 4August 5, 1999, Sec./Art. 4

Mandatory Use of Seat Belts. For their own safety, the driver and front seat passengers of a public or private motor vehicle are required to wear or use their seat belt devices while inside a vehicle of running engine on any road or thoroughfare: Provided, That for private vehicles, except for jeeps, jeepneys, vans, buses and such other private vehicles as may be determined in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR), front and back seat passengers are likewise required to use their seat belt devices at all times.

In the case of public motor vehicles, the driver shall be required to immediately inform and require the front seat passengers upon boarding a vehicle of running engine to wear the prescribed seat belts. Any passenger who refuses to wear seat belts shall not be allowed to continue his/her trip.

For special public service vehicles such as school services and other similar vehicles as may be determined by the IRR, seat belt devices should be provided and used by both drivers and front seat passengers as defined herein and the first row passengers immediately behind the driver at all times while inside a vehicle of running engine.

Operational motor vehicles, both public and private, which are not equipped with the required seat belt devices, are given one (1) year from the issuance of the IRR by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to retrofit appropriate seat belt devices in their vehicles.