Hong Kong seat belt law to be made ‘more convenient,’ security chief says

2026-02-01 - 23:37

Hong Kong’s bus seat belt law will be made “more convenient” upon revision, Secretary for Security Chris Tang has said. Secretary for Security Chris Tang meeting the press on September 27, 2023. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP. Tang made the comments on a radio show on Sunday, two days after the government announced that it would repeal the law – which came into effect on January 25 – due to a “technical shortcoming.” “I believe that once the law is refined, [such as] in relation to implementation, potential exemption clauses, better communication, and with bus companies improving their supporting facilities, it will be more convenient,” Tang said in Cantonese. Under the repealed law, bus passengers who did not wear a seat belt risked a maximum fine of HK$5,000 and up to three months in prison. The new rules were met with criticism, with people complaining about inconvenience and discomfort. Bus passengers wearing seat belts on January 28, 2026. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said on Wednesday that she had noted such reactions, and that authorities would “aim to address and improve these matters as soon as possible.” She announced the law’s repeal on Friday. Tang said on Sunday that even though the law had been halted, he still advised passengers to wear seat belts on buses for safety reasons. He added that authorities would follow up on incidents involving damaged seat belts on buses. On Thursday, a man travelling on bus 795X was unable to unbuckle his seat belt while near Cheung Sha Wan. A passenger’s seat on a Citybus vehicle equipped with a seat belt. File photo: Citybus. The bus driver alerted the bus company’s command centre, and firefighters were called to the scene to free the man. Citybus said it suspected the seat belt had been intentionally damaged after discovering that a piece of aluminium foil had been inserted into the seat belt buckle. In a separate incident on Wednesday, a bus driver on route 86K in Ma On Shan reported to police after finding two seat belts on the upper deck had been cut in half. Tang said such acts were a “challenge to the system” and “anti-society behaviour.” “Even though it may just appear to be cutting an object apart, and not a serious crime, the negative impact on society is significant,” he said.