NEW DELHI: The road crash on Agra-Delhi highway on Thursday in which four passengers died but two on the front who were wearing seatbelts survived, has once again pointed to the need for strict enforcement of the rule on rear seatbelts. The rule requiring wearing of rear seatbelts was notified in 2004.
Studies across the globe have shown that wearing a seatbelt can bring down the chances of fatalities by up to 50%.As per World Health Organisation, seatbelts have saved more lives than any other road safety intervention in history. While seatbelts can reduce deaths among vehicle occupants in accidents by half, child safety restraints have shown reduction in deaths in crashes by up to 71% among younger infants.
“While the use of adult seat-belts is around 83% and the use of child safety restraints is around 77% in the WHO European region, seat-belt use is below 50% in the WHO African region and below 40% in the WHO South East Asian region,” a WHO report says.
According to police, in the Mathura road crash, the driver and passenger on the front seat were wearing seatbelts and when the car crashed with a truck, both survived as the safety bag opened. However, those sitting in the back died on the spot after the crash.
A study in 2019 had revealed that barely 7% of the respondents used rear seatbelts regularly. “There is little enforcement of this provision. The traffic police must enforce this rule like wearing helmets for two-wheeler riders and seatbelt for drivers and front seat passengers,” said Deepanshu Gupta of Indian Road Safety Campaign, a youth-led NGO.
Recently, the road transport ministry has issued a draft notification to make it mandatory for all car makers to provide “rear seat belt alarm” in every car manufactured from April 1, 2025 onwards. This is being done to nudge rear seat passengers to use seatbelts.
Studies across the globe have shown that wearing a seatbelt can bring down the chances of fatalities by up to 50%.As per World Health Organisation, seatbelts have saved more lives than any other road safety intervention in history. While seatbelts can reduce deaths among vehicle occupants in accidents by half, child safety restraints have shown reduction in deaths in crashes by up to 71% among younger infants.
“While the use of adult seat-belts is around 83% and the use of child safety restraints is around 77% in the WHO European region, seat-belt use is below 50% in the WHO African region and below 40% in the WHO South East Asian region,” a WHO report says.
According to police, in the Mathura road crash, the driver and passenger on the front seat were wearing seatbelts and when the car crashed with a truck, both survived as the safety bag opened. However, those sitting in the back died on the spot after the crash.
A study in 2019 had revealed that barely 7% of the respondents used rear seatbelts regularly. “There is little enforcement of this provision. The traffic police must enforce this rule like wearing helmets for two-wheeler riders and seatbelt for drivers and front seat passengers,” said Deepanshu Gupta of Indian Road Safety Campaign, a youth-led NGO.
Recently, the road transport ministry has issued a draft notification to make it mandatory for all car makers to provide “rear seat belt alarm” in every car manufactured from April 1, 2025 onwards. This is being done to nudge rear seat passengers to use seatbelts.
