Guest Column: Let’s buckle up! A critical imperative for Indian roads
2 months, 3 weeks ago

Guest Column: Let’s buckle up! A critical imperative for Indian roads

Hindustan Times  

Seat belts are often perceived as an inconvenience rather than the life-saving tool they are by a majority of drivers and passengers in India. Seat belts provide crucial protection, as tragically evidenced by accidents like the recent July 2024 Delhi-Mumbai Expressway crash, which claimed two lives, or the fatal Mahendergarh school bus accident in April 2024 in which six students got killed. Despite advancements in automobile safety, a significant percentage of vehicle models in India lack rear seat belts and fail to meet the safety standards set by organisations like the Global New Car Assessment Programme. Seat belts remain indispensable tools in mitigating injury risks during collisions, with a proven track record of saving lives.This calls for a multi-faceted approach involving heightened and sustained social behaviour change awareness campaigns and rigorous enforcement by law enforcement agencies on seat belts compliance. Also, vehicle manufactures must prioritise the inclusion of rear seat belts and airbags in vehicles to enhance passenger safety comprehensively and not cut corners to save production cost.

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History of this topic

Techie in Bengaluru narrowly escapes accident that kills, severely injures others. Thanks to a seat belt
8 months, 1 week ago

Techie in Bengaluru narrowly escapes accident that kills, severely injures others. Thanks to a seat belt

Hindustan Times  

A doctor took to X to share about a tragic accident to iterate the importance of wearing seat belts in a car. Dr Mirza Alamdar Ali, who claimed that he treated the victims of a car accident that took place in Bengaluru, posted that in the incident, only one person escaped with minor injuries - an IT engineer who survived …

3 months on, rear seat belt rule being implemented arbitrarily, say motorists
1 year, 9 months ago

3 months on, rear seat belt rule being implemented arbitrarily, say motorists

Hindustan Times  

MUMBAI: Three months since the state government made it mandatory for passengers in rear seats of vehicles to wear seat belts, the rule has remained arbitrary in its implementation, leaving motorists confused. Issues like double parking and triple seat riding pose greater problems in managing traffic and are also dangerous,” said Bapat, who was fined for not wearing a rear …

Not wearing seat belt claimed 16,397 lives in road accidents in 2021: MoRTH
1 year, 11 months ago

Not wearing seat belt claimed 16,397 lives in road accidents in 2021: MoRTH

The Hindu  

A total of 16,397 persons were killed in road accidents in 2021 due to not wearing seat belts, of which 8,438 were drivers and the remaining 7,959 were passengers, according to a report by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. The report titled 'Road accidents in India – 2021' further said a total of 46,593 persons were killed in …

Hyderabad set to make rear seat belts mandatory
2 years, 1 month ago

Hyderabad set to make rear seat belts mandatory

Deccan Chronicle  

HYDERABAD: As a consequence of industrialist Cyrus Mistry’s fatal road accident on September 4 in Maharashtra, the traffic police intends to make seat belts compulsory for rear seat passengers in four wheelers. DCP Traffic N. Prakash Reddy said that police would take up a drive to create awareness on the need for rear passengers to wear seat belts after a …

Mumbai: Seat Belts Mandatory for Every Passenger in Cars from Nov 1, 2022
2 years, 1 month ago

Mumbai: Seat Belts Mandatory for Every Passenger in Cars from Nov 1, 2022

News 18  

All the occupants in a car will need to wear seat belts from November 1, 2022 in Mumbai. The official notification further read that the carrying passengers without seat belt in cars would be punishable under relevant sections of the motor vehicle act. “All motor vehicle drivers and all commuters in vehicles, whoever travels on the road of Mumbai City …

Seat belts compulsory for all passengers in cars in Mumbai from tomorrow: Report
2 years, 1 month ago

Seat belts compulsory for all passengers in cars in Mumbai from tomorrow: Report

Hindustan Times  

From tomorrow, all passengers travelling in a car in Mumbai must wear seat belts. The Mumbai Police earlier this month had notified making it compulsory for all passengers seated in the car to wear seat belts from November 1, 2022. Not just Mumbai, even the Delhi Traffic Police carried out a campaign to create awareness among commuters to wear rear …

Rear seat passengers in cars and SUVs too have to wear seat belts, or risk ₹1,000 penalty in Karnataka
2 years, 2 months ago

Rear seat passengers in cars and SUVs too have to wear seat belts, or risk ₹1,000 penalty in Karnataka

The Hindu  

The Director General and Inspector General of Police Praveen Sood on Tuesday directed all commissionerates and traffic department heads and superintendents of police of all the districts to enforce compulsory wearing of seat belt for all the passengers of motor vehicles with not more than eight seats, with an enhanced fine of ₹1,000. Quoting a recent order of the Union …

Mumbai makes backseat seatbelts mandatory from November 1
2 years, 2 months ago

Mumbai makes backseat seatbelts mandatory from November 1

India Today  

Buckle up even if you are not at the wheel or face the music. From November 1, seatbelts will be mandatory for all car passengers, as per a notification issued by the Mumbai Police on Friday. “All motor vehicle drivers and all commuters in vehicles, whoever travels on the roads of Mumbai City are hereby informed that it will be …

Uber asks its India drivers to ensure rear seatbelts in their cars work
2 years, 3 months ago

Uber asks its India drivers to ensure rear seatbelts in their cars work

The Hindu  

Ride-hailing company Uber Technologies has asked its drivers in India to ensure backseat seatbelts in their vehicles are accessible to passengers and they work, days after a local business tycoon died in a crash involving his private car. "To avoid any fines or complaints by riders, please ensure the seatbelts on the back seats are accessible and functional," Uber said …

WEAR rear seat belt or get ready to pay this amount as fine in Delhi
2 years, 3 months ago

WEAR rear seat belt or get ready to pay this amount as fine in Delhi

Hindustan Times  

The Delhi Traffic Police has launched a road safety drive to push people to use rear seat belts. The Delhi Police officer said a campaign is already in place to spread public awareness regarding the importance of wearing seat belts. Union road transport minister Nitin Gadkari said wearing seat belts is mandatory for all passengers of a car, including those …

Delhi makes wearing rear seat belts mandatory, Rs 1,000 fine for offenders
2 years, 3 months ago

Delhi makes wearing rear seat belts mandatory, Rs 1,000 fine for offenders

India TV News  

Highlights Delhi Traffic Police has launched a drive to push people to use rear seat belts Offenders will face a penalty of Rs 1,000 Drive comes after former Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry died in road accident in Maharashtra Intensifying its road safety efforts, the Delhi Traffic Police on Wednesday launched a drive to push people to use rear seat …

How can India make its cars safer and save lives?
2 years, 3 months ago

How can India make its cars safer and save lives?

Business Standard  

Why do I need to wear a seat belt if I am in the back seat? According to the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, those seated in the front seat or occupying front-facing rear seats must wear seat belts. Against this backdrop, Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said the Centre would now enforce the rule …

India asks Amazon to stop selling seatbelt alarm blockers after Cyrus Mistry's death in road accident
2 years, 3 months ago

India asks Amazon to stop selling seatbelt alarm blockers after Cyrus Mistry's death in road accident

India Today  

The Indian government has requested Amazon to stop selling devices that are designed to turn off car seatbelt alerts. The transport minister Nitin Gadkari is rolling out new rules and measures related to road safety following the recent death of ex- Tata Chairman, Cyrus Mistry in a car crash. The annual report of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways …

Passenger entitled to claim insurance even if not wearing seat belt
2 years, 3 months ago

Passenger entitled to claim insurance even if not wearing seat belt

Deccan Chronicle  

MUMBAI: The ill-fated Mercedes GLC 220d 4MATIC car that met with an accident killing former Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry and his friend Jahangir Pandol was insured by Future Generali General Insurance Company. Non-compliance of seat belt laws may not result in getting lower compensation from motor accident claims tribunals, chiefs of non-life insurance companies said. While an insurer can …

Rear Seat Belt Alarm in Cars Could be Mandatory Soon Post Fatal Accident of Cyrus Mistry
2 years, 3 months ago

Rear Seat Belt Alarm in Cars Could be Mandatory Soon Post Fatal Accident of Cyrus Mistry

News 18  

India is planning to make it mandatory for car makers to install an alarm system for rear seat belts to enforce their use, in an effort to reduce road accident fatalities, the transport minister said late on Tuesday. He was sitting in the rear seat and did not have his seat belt on, local media reported citing police officials. “Because …

Govt to mandate warning beepers for rear seats: Gadkari
2 years, 3 months ago

Govt to mandate warning beepers for rear seats: Gadkari

Hindustan Times  

In a bid to promote seat belt use in vehicles, the government is going to make seat belt beepers for rear seats mandatory in vehicles, union minister for road transport and highways, Nitin Gadkari said on Tuesday. We also hope this accident and our policy decision of making rear seat belt alarm mandatory will increase awareness,” Gadkari said. Gadkari said …

Fine for No Seat Belt on Rear Seat, Says Gadkari; Rues Mistry’s Death that ‘Taught New Lesson’
2 years, 3 months ago

Fine for No Seat Belt on Rear Seat, Says Gadkari; Rues Mistry’s Death that ‘Taught New Lesson’

News 18  

Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said road safety was the “highest agenda” for the country as he answered questions surrounding the tragic death of former Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry in a car accident near Mumbai. The minister said Mistry was a “close friend” and the incident was a new lesson in how road safety was viewed in …

Here’s Why a Car’s Airbags are Useless if You Don’t Put on Your Seatbelt
2 years, 3 months ago

Here’s Why a Car’s Airbags are Useless if You Don’t Put on Your Seatbelt

News 18  

Over the years, the importance of car safety has risen amongst those buying a new car. A big credit for this goes to the government of India which has mandated dual airbags, seat belt reminders, and rear parking sensors on all cars, irrespective of their price. In order to make the car occupants safe, the seatbelts and airbags work together, …

New norms being introduced to ensure safety of vehicle users: Gadkari
2 years, 8 months ago

New norms being introduced to ensure safety of vehicle users: Gadkari

The Hindu  

As many as 13,022 lives could have been saved in the country in 2020 if there were functional airbags in cars, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari told the Rajya Sabha on March 30, while asserting that new norms are being introduced to ensure the safety of vehicle users. Replying to supplementaries during the Question Hour, Mr. Gadkari said in 2020, …

Over-Speeding Caused Most Road Deaths in 2019: Ministry of Road Transport
4 years, 2 months ago

Over-Speeding Caused Most Road Deaths in 2019: Ministry of Road Transport

News 18  

Over-speeding led to a maximum number of road crashes and deaths in India in 2019, revealed the annual road accident report of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. In a cause-wise split, maximum number of road crashes and deaths were caused by over-speeding, which accounted for 67.3 per cent or 1,01,699 deaths, 71 per cent of crashes and 72.4 …

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