Car seatbelt exemption certificate

[Mark D]

Has anyone had any success getting a seatbelt exemption certificate?

My wife has chronic pain that prevents her sitting for long and as a consequence often travels lying down on the back seat of the car, Yes I know that's not a good idea.

I've approached her gp who says they no longer issue the certificates. The local health trust say they don't either.
The best they could manage was suggesting I contact the DVLA - they weren't interested as she isn't the driver,

I contacted my gp at a different practice and they say they do issue them but aren't accepting new patients.

Her consultant says it's not something he can deal with so I'm stuck risking a £1000 fine and goodness knows how many penalty points because the health authorities decided they don't want to issue them.

Has anyone else come up against such problems and if so how did you manage to resolve the problem?

Thanks
Mark

[sunnydisposition]

https://www.gov.uk/seat-belts-law/when- ... -seat-belt

Interestingly, it states contact you doctor and I did notice your insurance company.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... lt-wearing

The link is an old one - the dept. of transport?

Every site I looked at stated .... A doctor would issue a 'Certificate of Exemption from Compulsory Seat Belt Wearing

https://www.theukrules.co.uk/rules/driv ... t-law.html

Do you have a Motability car.

[Melly1]

Hi Mark,

in the government link https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... pt_Hi2.pdf

it states

REFUSAL TO ISSUE AN EXEMPTION
If exemption from seat belt wearing is refused, it is important that a clear reason is given. A patient may seek a second opinion from another medical practitioner.

Looks like either way they have to do something - just saying no, isn't enough.

Might be worth contacting the ambulance service for advice as they transport people who are lying down or the motability specialists?

Melly1

[Charles_2112]

Everything I've found places the responsibility on your GP. Which means one of two things: either they are enforcing a strict policy of refusal, which would be a breach of the Equality Act at the very least, or they are refusing on the grounds that they don't believe your wife qualifies and they don't want to upset you.

To be honest, I'd ask for the reason in writing: that way they are committing themselves and you can then take the necessary action. If it's a blanket policy, you can raise the Equality Act concerns, and if it's about your wife not qualifying, you can request that they at least perform a medical assessment rather than judging on appearances.