Shortage of seat-belts

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33728, 28 December 1974, Page 12

Shortage of seat-belts

Because of the shortage of seat-belts in Christchurch many cars may not comply with the new regulations that will come into force in four days time.

On January 1 all cars first registered after January 1, 1955, must have seat-belts fitted, and the occupants must wear them. The maximum fine for not having or wearing th- n is S2OC. The Ministry of Transport in Christchurch hinted yesterday however, that a reasonable attitude would be taken if a motorist had a reasonable excuse for not having seat-belts.

When the new regulations were passed only six weeks ago it was estimated that they they would affect between 270,000 and 300,000 cars that were first registered between January 1, 1955, and January 1, 1965. The demand for the belts since then has been greater than the supply, however, and some retailers in Christchurch have been out of stocks of the cheaper brands since early December.

One retailer said that he had sold 650 pairs in the last month, and that the last shipment of 100 pairs had gone in half an hour. Another said that although all the cheaper brands (costing about $l6) had gone, he still had some “automatic ones” that sold f->r about $35.

The largest manufacturers of belts, who are in Auckland and Wellington, have closed until mid-January. Senior Traffic Officer G. G. Hood said yesterday that he would give careful consideration to any motorist who could show that he had taken reasonable steps to get belts, or had placed an order with a supplier.