UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak fined for not wearing a seatbelt

British police on January 20 imposed a fine on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for riding in a car without wearing his seat belt in order to film a clip for social media.

Sunak, who apologized on January 19 for what he called a "brief error of judgment", filmed a video in the back seat of his car while travelling in the north of England, without wearing a seat belt.

"Following the circulation of a video on social media showing an individual failing to wear a seat belt while a passenger in a moving car in Lancashire we have today issued a 42-year-old man from London with a conditional offer of fixed penalty," Lancashire Police said on Twitter.

It is worth mentioning that in the United Kingdom (UK), if a passenger is caught failing to wear a seatbelt while in a car unless covered by a valid medical exemption, can be given an on-the-spot fine of 100 pounds increasing to 500 pounds if the case lands in the court of law. 

In England, passengers aged 14 and over are responsible for ensuring they wear a seat belt in cars, vans, and other goods vehicles if one is fitted and drivers are responsible for passengers under 14.

Exemptions include having a doctor's certificate for a medical reason or being in a vehicle used for police, fire, or other rescue services.

Notably, Sunak filmed the video while sitting in the back seat of a moving car to promote his government's new leveling-up fund announcements to fund over 100 projects around the country.

In the video, police motorbikes could also be seen escorting his car as he addressed the camera.

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