{"id":"F2005L01953","name":"CASA EX21/05 - Exemption - Seat belts","slug":"casa-ex21-05-exemption-seat-belts","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":36168,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2005L01953-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-01","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"CASA EX21/05 - Exemption - Seat belts","content":"![](image.001.png)\n\nInstrument number CASA EX21/05\n\nI, ROBERT COLLINS, Acting Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Operating Officer, a delegate of CASA, make this instrument under subregulation 308 (1) of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1988 (CAR 1988).\n\n\\[Signed Rob Collins\\]\n\nRob Collins\n\nActing Deputy Chief Executive and\n\nChief Operating Officer\n\n7 July 2005\n\nExemption — Seat belts\n\n1 Commencement\n\nThis instrument commences on the day after it is registered on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments.\n\n2 Application\n\nThis instrument applies to a passenger:\n\n(a) who is being carried as a patient on an aircraft engaged in emergency medical services; and\n\n(b) for whom the medical or nursing authority responsible for the carriage considers that wearing a restraint would be detrimental to his or her health.\n\n3 Exemption\n\nThe passenger is exempt from compliance with subregulation 251 (1) of CAR 1988 (the requirement to wear a seat belt).\n\n4 Condition\n\nThe passenger must comply with any requirement, that the pilot in command considers necessary in the interests of safety, to be restrained.","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This is a discrete, single-purpose exemption instrument. It addresses exactly what it purports to: creating a limited, conditional exemption from seat belt requirements for medical patients. There is no evidence of scope creep — the instrument remains tightly focused on its original emergency medical services purpose."},"complexity_factors":["Very short instrument (4 operative clauses)","Only 1 defined term implicitly referenced (CAR 1988)","Simple conditional structure: single exemption with one condition attached","No cross-references beyond the enabling regulation and the specific rule being exempted","Clear, direct language with no nested exceptions or layered definitions"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this does:**\n\nThis document is an official exemption that allows certain medical patients to fly without wearing a seat belt during emergency medical flights.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n\n- **Patients** being transported by air ambulance or emergency medical aircraft who have a medical condition where wearing a seat belt would actually harm them rather than help them.\n- **Medical/nursing staff** who make the call about whether a seat belt is unsafe for that specific patient.\n- **Pilots** who must still ensure the patient is restrained in some other safe way.\n\n**Why it matters:**\n\nNormally, all aircraft passengers must wear seat belts during flight — it's a strict safety rule. But this exemption recognises that in emergency medical situations, strapping a patient down might worsen their injuries (for example, if they have severe chest trauma, spinal injuries, or need constant medical access). \n\nThe exemption creates a legal loophole **with safeguards**:\n- A qualified medical professional must decide the seat belt is harmful\n- The pilot still has final say on how to keep the patient safe\n- It only applies to emergency medical flights, not regular commercial travel\n\nWithout this exemption, air ambulance crews would technically be breaking the law every time they transported a critically injured patient who couldn't safely wear a standard seat belt."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/casa-ex21-05-exemption-seat-belts","history":"/api/acts/casa-ex21-05-exemption-seat-belts/history","analysis":"/api/acts/casa-ex21-05-exemption-seat-belts/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/casa-ex21-05-exemption-seat-belts/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/casa-ex21-05-exemption-seat-belts/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/casa-ex21-05-exemption-seat-belts/documents"}}