The seat belt traffic rules in Singapore was implemented since 1993. All vehicles registered on or after 1st Jan 1993, must have rear seat belts. Traffic Police of Singapore has been carried out frequent enforcing measure and educating the public on how importance that seat belts can save the lives, especially on the rear seat belts.

All passengers, including the children sitting at the rear of the car will need to have their seat belt on. In Singapore, any children below the height of 1.35m to be secured with an appropriate restraint, booster seat or adjustable seatbelt. Those 1.35m or taller are expected to wear a seatbelt irrespective of age. Adults are encouraged to sit next to the child and tell stories or play games with them, in order to get their attention occupied and to remain in the safety seat.

Pregnant women are not exempted from the seat belt rules too. It may be even safer for a pregnant woman to be belted up as it protects the foetus. However, if one is able to submit a medical certification to traffic police for consideration, to prove that they are not suitable to have the seat belt on due to pregnancy.

Any passengers taking a taxis or private hire vehicles must also have their seat belt on too. Taxi and private hire vehicle driver will have to tell their passengers that the law requires them to belt up and that both the driver and the passenger will be penalized for not abiding by the law.

In Singapore, only taxis are exempted from the child seat requirement. This is due to taxis are exempted from this rule because they can be street-hailed. Hence, it would not be reasonable to expect them to be equipped with booster seats and child restraints at all times, or to reject passengers with infants or children. That said, children below the height of 1.35m can only ride in the rear of the taxi.

As for private hire vehicles, it must be pre-booked and passengers are to indicate if they require booster seats or child restraints at the point of booking. This gives private hire car drivers sufficient advance notice to prepare accordingly.

Very often, there are rear seat passengers getting seriously injured due to not buckling up the seat belt when sitting at the rear of the vehicle. The traffic police view this as a serious traffic offence. The penalty for drivers of not wearing a seat belt will be fined $120 and given 3 demerit points. A $120 fine will also be imposed on the passengers inside the vehicle and is not belted up. If charged in court and convicted, the penalty will be a fine not exceeding S$1,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months. And in the case of a second or subsequent offense, the driver will be fined not exceeding S$2,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months