He told a news conference Friday that some sensitisation sessions have commenced to ensure that vehicles are in order to meet that date.

The Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act was amended in May this year allowing for the mandatory wearing of seat belts.

The Bill introduced safety belts in all motor vehicles with a view of minimising injury and "loss of limbs and lives upon the occurrence of accidents."

The most important section of the Act stipulates that "every motor vehicle shall appropriately be equipped with a seat belt assembly for the front seats for the driver and every passenger" and prescribes a maximum penalty of not less than $10,000.

Vehicle owners and drivers are to ensure that the front seat of their vehicle is equipped with the adequate number of seat belts as required for the front seat.

The penalty for not doing this is a fine of not less than $7,500, in the case of the first offence, or in the case of the second or subsequent offences, a fine of not less than $10,000.

A person who sits in the front seat of a vehicle and does not wear a set belt is liable to the same penalty.

It is expected that the use of the seat belts will curb the speeding problem on the nation's roads, thus reducing accidents.

McDonald reported 126 road fatalities to date this year compared with 124 for the same period last year.