The Road Transport Department (JPJ) has officially mandated that all passengers and drivers on express and tour buses must wear seat belts throughout the entire journey, as part of a nationwide safety initiative.
This regulation applies specifically to buses that were produced from January 2020 onward. Older buses will not be exempt, but operators of those vehicles will be given additional time to retrofit seat belts where needed to comply with the new rule.
JPJ Director-General Dato’ Aedy Fadly Ramli stated that bus drivers must take an active role in ensuring passenger safety. This includes informing passengers at the beginning of each trip that seat belts must be worn and making sure that the rule is followed while the bus is in motion.
If enforcement teams find that passengers are not wearing seat belts and the driver failed to issue a reminder, summonses will be issued to the driver, the bus company, and the unbelted passengers. However, if it’s confirmed that the driver clearly reminded the passengers and they still chose to ignore the directive, only the passengers will be penalized.
To determine responsibility, JPJ will review bus surveillance recordings and, where necessary, speak to passengers during inspections.
Drivers who do not ensure seat belt compliance before the bus departs could face a fine of RM300.
The department emphasized that this ruling follows previous discussions with bus operators, and detailed guidelines have already been shared. JPJ also reiterated that it will take firm action to enforce this rule consistently moving forward.
This latest measure is part of JPJ’s continued effort to promote accountability and safety in public transportation, particularly for long-distance travel.
