UPDATE: Use of seatbelt buckle guards

On Thursday 16 February 2023 we shared news online of a regulation on the use of Seatbelt Buckle Guards, and how this was illegal. This information was published by the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and we subsequently had to make urgent decisions around transporting children and young people to school who require a Seatbelt Buckle Guard.

The DVSA has announced today that they will not be enforcing this regulation for the time being and that transport can continue from Monday 20 February. This means that children and young people who require a Seatbelt Buckle Guard can travel to school as normal.

Please see the official communication from the DVSA below:

"On 9 February DVSA issued an email alert to public service vehicle (PSV) operators to advise them not to use seatbelt buckle guards.

Risk

DVSA’s priority is the safety of PSV passengers.

There is a risk the use of these guards could prevent the release of a seatbelt quickly in an emergency.

The alert was intended to support operators to ensure the safety of their passengers.

Current practice

At this stage, DVSA is highlighting the potential safety issues with the use of seatbelt buckle guards.

If DVSA examiners find evidence of the use of seatbelt buckle guards during routine roadside inspections, their first action would be to offer advice and guidance about vehicle and passenger safety.

Moving forward

DVSA wants to work with industry to develop a solution to support the safe transport of PSV users: it has no plans to target enforcement action against their use.

DVSA will continue to work with stakeholders, including the Department for Education, Department for Transport, schools, local authorities and parents so everyone affected can be confident about using transport services safely."

That means there will be no immediate disruption to children's education and to theirs and their families' usual routines.

However, we are expecting further updates on this in the coming months, and we will provide an update as soon as we can around what that will mean for children and young people with SEND who require a Seatbelt Buckle Guard.

We appreciate there is a lot of information being shared and this can be confusing, but we must ensure the safety of children and young people takes priority.

To reiterate, there will be no immediate disruption to Home to School transport services from Monday 20 February.