In news– The central government has recently decided to fine passengers who do not wear seat belts in the rear seat.
Key updates-
- There will be a siren (or beeper that will go off in the vehicle) if the people at the rear seat don’t wear belts like in the front seats. And if they don’t wear belts, there will be a fine.
- At present there is a penalty for the driver and the co-passenger for not wearing a seat belt, but this rule has been updated to include rear seat passengers as well.
- The Centre has regularly taken measures to enhance the safety of passengers and now intends to make it mandatory for carmakers to provide a minimum of six airbags in motor vehicles that carry up to 8 passengers.
- Currently, wearing a seat belt in the rear seat is mandatory as per the Central Motor Vehicle Rules of the Indian government, but very few are aware of the rule.
- According to the Rule 138 (3) of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR) persons “seated in the front seat or the persons occupying front facing rear seats” must wear seat belts while the vehicle is in motion. Failure to do so can result in a traffic fine of Rs 1,000.
- According to a recent road ministry report, the number of persons killed and injured from not wearing a seat belt in 2020 was 15,146 and 39,102 respectively.
- According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, over 1.55 lakh lives were lost in road crashes across India in 2021 — an average of 426 daily or 18 every single hour which is the highest death figures recorded in any calendar year so far.
- As per the World Health Organisation, the use of rear seat-belts can prevent lower the risk of death in the rear seat by upto 25%.
Further reading: https://journalsofindia.com/amendments-to-the-central-motor-vehicle-rules/
Source: Hindustan Times
