Taxi drivers will no longer be exempt from wearing seat belts.
Under law 14,000 taxi drivers nationwide will now be obliged to wear a seat belt. Minister for Transport, Seamus Brennan, has announced that taxi drivers will be required to wear seat belts arguing that the current exemption could no longer be justified on road safety grounds.
The introduction of penalty points for not wearing seat belts has resulted in an increase in the compliance rate and a fall in the number of accidents.
The evidence is quite clear. Seat belts do save lives.
There has been widespread opposition from taxi drivers to the lifting of the exemption saying that the new rule puts their personal safety under serious threat.
John Ussher, Irish Taxi Drivers Federation, welcomes the introduction of a recommendation for taxi drivers to wear seat belts but is not in favour of making it compulsory.
The minister defended his actions saying that the safety of 14,000 drivers and their passengers has to come first.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 27 June 2004. The reporter is Teresa Mannion.
