New seat belt laws for public franchised buses in Hong Kong
As usual a hefty fine and a jail sentance for non compliance
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New Seat Belt Law 2026 | Franchised Buses | Hong Kong
I have lived in Hong Kong for 54 years, it is my home and I could not imagine living anywhere else, I also want to make it quite clear that for the most part I am a big fan of the Hong Kong Government, they have funds to make things happen and they are pretty good at addressing the needs of Hong Kong people despite what you might read in the press.
This does not mean they are perfect, they get things wrong every now and then (most recently the “green rubbish scheme when it comes to recycling and collection of waste” ) but sometimes they introduce new laws and you wonder what exactly is the rationale behind the decision.
The new seat belt law for franchised buses has not been extended to our single decker and double decker buses, which means by law you have to wear a seat belt if provided.
What I simple do not understand is why they have to criminalise this, the penalty is a large fine and a potential jail sentence.
read on
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KMB Franchised Bus Service | Typical Interior Lower Deck | Hong Kong
Shown above, 2 images - a fairly typical Hong Kong double decker bus and the basic interior of a standard double decker bus, lower deck.
In a nutshell, bus accidents are pretty rare and on the lower deck there is simply no reason to hang on to a railing or grab handle, they are everywhere
Hong Kong's New Bus Seatbelt Law: Why Stop at Buses? Let's Belt Up Everything on Wheels!
I am pretty good at my age at putting sarcasm and satire into coherent sentences so lets start with that.
Hong Kong's Government just rolled out mandatory seatbelt rules for buses, effective January 25, 2026—because apparently, after 77 years of double-deckers rumbling safely around since 1949, we suddenly need Big Brother buckling us in. But if we're going for "consistency" on wheeled transport, why stop there? Let's take their logic to its absurd extreme and mandate seatbelts for everything with wheels. After all, safety first, right?
Here's the full list of modes that clearly need belting up now (they all have wheels, so it's only fair):
The MTR (Subway system), which hauls 5 million passengers daily—imagine strapping in for your sardine-can commute to Central.
Cross-border train services—because who knows when that high-speed rail might hit a bump?
The iconic trams on Hong Kong Island—ding ding, buckle up!
All 2- and 3-wheel scooters and motorbikes—helmets aren't enough; time for full-body harnesses.
Anyone on a bicycle—pedal power meets paranoia. (EV bikes are still illegal but commonly seen on the streets)
Anyone on a skateboard—ollie into safety compliance.
Anyone on a scooter, electric or otherwise—zooming kids, prepare for fines.
Anyone using roller skates—retro fun, now with legal drama.
Anyone using those ridiculous electric suitcases with wheels—your luggage might roll away, but you'll be strapped to it.
Double-decker buses have been a remarkably safe mode of transport since their debut in 1949. Sure, accidents happen—no wheeled vehicle is 100% risk-free—but the stats show they're far from death traps. You're way more likely to trip while standing during a sharp turn, get whacked by a rogue shopping trolley or suitcase, or—heaven forbid—fumble with those clunky seatbelts if the bus catches fire. Complex buckles in a panic? Sounds like a recipe for disaster, not safety.
And what's the deal with slapping massive fines (up to HK$5,000) and even jail time on something that wasn't a crime from 1949 to 2026? Why criminalize everyday life? Yes, it's "supposed to be a deterrent," but let's be real: these petty, ludicrous "offenses" feel like just another cash grab to fund the government's coffers. Next up: fines for not holding the handrail on escalators?
What do you think, Hong Kong? Time to push back against this overreach, or are we all just along for the belted ride?
Key points to highlight and to think about
Overall low risk: Hong Kong has one of the world's better road safety records. For example, road traffic fatalities per million population were around 1.5–3 in recent years (pre-2020 data showed ~1.5, with occasional spikes from rare major incidents). This compares favorably to places like the US (~12), mainland China (~18), or even the UK (~3).
Bus-specific involvement: Franchised buses (public double-deckers) tend to have relatively low accident involvement rates per vehicle-kilometer traveled compared to private cars, taxis, or goods vehicles. They often rank lower in accident likelihood due to professional drivers, fixed routes, and high passenger volumes spreading out risk.
In older data (e.g., 2004–2010s analyses), buses had accident rates lower than motorcycles, private cars, and light goods vehicles.
Recent trends (2020–2024) show no dramatic upward spike in bus-related fatalities or serious injuries; most bus incidents involve minor collisions, passenger falls (especially standing ones), or non-collision issues rather than high-severity crashes.
Fatal and serious incidents: Major fatal bus crashes are rare but high-profile when they occur:
2018: A double-decker crash in Tai Po killed 19 and injured over 60 (one of the deadliest in recent decades).
2003: A KMB bus plunged off a bridge, killing 21.
These are outliers; yearly bus fatalities are typically very low (often single digits across all franchised buses) and many involve pedestrians running red lights and getting smacked by a bus
Recent years (2020–2025): From TD annual summaries and news reports:
No mass-fatality bus crashes reported in most years.
Incidents often involve injuries from sudden stops, turns, or minor collisions (e.g., 18 injured in a 2025 airport-area crash; 14 hurt in a 2023 barrier crash; driver injuries in others).
Passenger injuries frequently stem from standing/falling rather than impact (e.g., trolleys, sharp braking).
Overall casualty accidents rose slightly in some post-COVID years (e.g., +14% in one Police report comparing to 2022), but serious/fatal ones decreased or stayed stable.
Rationale tie-in for seatbelts: The new law (effective Jan 25, 2026) focuses on seated passengers wearing belts where fitted, emphasizing reduction in death/serious injury risk during crashes. Government sources stress general road safety improvement, especially for vulnerable groups, but don't cite a surge in bus-specific fatalities as the driver—it's more about consistency and prevention. Critics (as in your post) argue the risk remains low given historical safety.
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KMB Franchised Bus Service | Typical Seat Belt | Hong Kong
In conclusion
Double-decker buses have long been one of Hong Kong's safest transport options. According to Transport Department data, franchised buses have relatively low accident rates per vehicle-kilometer compared to cars or taxis, with fatalities rare outside isolated high-profile cases (e.g., the 2018 Tai Po crash killing 19).
Most passenger injuries come from slips, falls while standing, or minor jolts—not high-speed impacts. Hong Kong's overall road fatality rate is impressively low (around 1–3 per million people in recent years), making the sudden criminalization of not buckling up feel disproportionate after 75+ years of safe operation.
I am not going to leave it that, just a few more points
for arguments sake, it appears that so far only half the number of buses that require seat belts do not have them, so why not wait until all buses have them
on franchised mini buses they have a simple belt at waist level, not these complicated ones as shown in the image above
as you do not have to wear a seat belt on the lower deck if you are standing, you guessed it, people are resorting to standing particularly if the are just going a couple of stops and yes, people who stand make it hard for people to get off the bus and are a hazard themselves!, if you want to talk about overall road safety then there should be no standing on buses either the upper deck or lower decker
why make it a criminal offence? we have managed perfectly well without this law since 1949, why not just give you a fixed penalty ticket
I am trying to sum this up in a way that makes sense and highlights the issues
so
In the UK the Daily Mail news outlet quite often for no particular reason has a habit of mentioning the cost of the persons house listed in the story, presumably to highlight they are well off
Well, in Hong Kong, the South China Morning Post the long established news source for English speakers, these days seems to highlight for no particular reason, the exact fine and prison sentence for transgressions of laws, any laws
Go figure
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