Bus and coach passengers must now wear seatbelts if they're available on the vehicle, as tighter laws took effect on Sunday.

Offenders who fail to comply face a maximum HK$5,000 fine and three months in jail.

Most passengers RTHK spoke to agreed with the new regulations, saying it's for everyone's safety.

"We will check for seatbelts before sitting down," one man said.

"I don't find it troublesome, it's just a habit that a person can build gradually. Wearing it helps with safety when the vehicle suddenly has to brake."

Another woman added she always wears seatbelts to protect herself.

"But there's not a seatbelt on this seat, so it's not my fault," she remarked.

"When I rode a bus a couple of days ago, there was a problem with a buckle. But from now on, if there's an issue with the buckle or the seatbelt, we have to tell the driver."

Transport minister Mable Chan said the new regulations are in place to better protect commuters, not to punish them.

"We hope to enforce the law in a humane manner. Introducing this policy is not to penalise passengers or to give them a fine," she said on a TVB programme.

"From our perspective, the best situation is for every passenger to wear seatbelts for their own safety. The last thing we want to see is for passengers to be fined."

The minister noted the police had stated that in the early days after the changes, officers will carry out more publicity and education campaigns.

Also effective on Sunday, drivers are only limited to having two visible mobile devices on their vehicles, with screens restricted to a maximum diagonal length of 19 centimetres.

Offenders will be subject to a maximum fine of HK$2,000.