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Road Safety Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 4:"After Clause 9, insert the following new clause—"    ““ENDORSABLE OFFENCES (1)   In section 15 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (c. 52)— (a)   in subsection (1), for ““fourteen”” substitute ““sixteen””; (b)   in subsection (3), for ““fourteen”” substitute ““sixteen””. (2)   In Part 1 of Schedule 2 to the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 (c. 53) (prosecution and punishment of offences)— (a)   in the entry relating to RTA section 14, in column (6) insert ““Obligatory.””; (b)   in the entry relating to RTA section 15(2), in column (6) insert ““Obligatory””; (c)   in the entry relating to RTA section 15(4), in column (6) insert ““Obligatory””.”” The noble Lord said: My Lords, the purpose of this amendment is to provide for a measure that was omitted from the Road Traffic Act 1988. I have been advised on the matter by the police who seek to fill this gap in the previous legislation. That legislation allows the police to prosecute someone driving with a child passenger when the latter is not wearing a seat belt provided the child is 14 years of age and under. When the relevant person reaches 17 years of age he is deemed to be responsible on his own account and he can then be prosecuted for not wearing a seat belt. Apparently, no one aged 15 or 16 can be prosecuted for not wearing a seat belt. The purpose of the amendment is to complete the cycle to enable the person driving the car to be prosecuted when travelling with a child up to the age of 16 when the latter is not wearing a seat belt, as a person aged 17 can be prosecuted on his own account for not wearing a seat belt. I beg to move.