Abstract: A seat-belt apparatus of the kind which is arranged to be mounted in a vehicle for automatically moving a seat-belt of the apparatus into, and away from, an operative position across a vehicle seat. A seat-belt retraction mechanism is coupled to the seat-belt and is mounted on a vehicle door adjacent the said seat. The retraction mechanism includes a locking mechanism for inhibiting withdrawal of the seat-belt from the retraction mechanism, and is provided with means for controlling operation of the locking mechanism having a first state in which operation of the locking mechanism is inhibited and a second state in which operation of the locking mechanism is permitted.