UK prime minister fined for not wearing seatbelt in Instagram video

United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was fined on Friday for not wearing a seatbelt while filming a video discussing an economic program. 

The Lancashire Police, located in northern England, tweeted that the department issued a “fixed penalty” to a 42-year-old man from London following the circulation of a video on social media showing him not wearing a seatbelt while being a passenger in a moving car. The tweet did not identify Sunak by name. 

BBC reported that the prime minister’s office said in a statement that Sunak “fully accepts” that he made a mistake and apologizes and plans to pay the fine. Passengers who do not wear a seatbelt when one is available can be fined up to 100 pounds. 

In the video posted on Instagram, Sunak discusses a second round of allocations being released from the country’s Levelling Up fund, a social program that provides funding for projects that improve local communities. He announced more than 2 billion pounds was being released to support projects from more than 100 local communities throughout the country. 

Sunak was previously fined last April along with then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson for breaking COVID-19-lockdown rules in attending a birthday party for Johnson in June 2020. 

BBC reported that fixed penalty fines need to be paid or contested within 28 days of being issued. 

Those aged 14 and older are responsible for wearing a seatbelt, and drivers are responsible for passengers under 14 years old, according to the BBC. Exceptions exist for passengers who have a doctor’s certificate for a medical reason or who are riding in a police, fire or other rescue service vehicle.