The Delhi Police launched a special road safety drive last week to push people to wear rear seat belts. On the first day of the drive, on September 14, police conducted checkings on Barakhamba Road near Connaught Place in Delhi and issued 17 court challans. On the second day, they issued 41 challans to commuters for not wearing seat belts in the rear seats of their vehicles.
A fine of Rs 1,000 was levied on the defaulters, and the challans were issued under Section 194B (use of safety belts and the seating of children) of the Motor Vehicles Act, a senior police officer was quoted by PTI as saying.
A senior police officer reportedly said that the drive was conducted in two Delhi districts — New Delhi and Southwest. In the New Delhi district, 32 challans were issued, while nine challans were issued in Palam and Vasant Kunj areas of the Southwest district, the officer said.
South East District's #DelhiTrafficPolice personnel, deployed on Mathura Road, today educated passengers in four-wheeler vehicles about the importance of wearing seat belt for rear seat passengers.#WearSeatBelt#RoadSafety#DriveSafe pic.twitter.com/0SPj5rp8zs
— Delhi Traffic Police (@dtptraffic) September 15, 2022
Why did Delhi Police launch the special drive
Police launched the special drives days after former Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry (54) died in a road accident in Maharashtra's Palghar district. Mistry, who was sitting in the rear seat, was not wearing a seat belt, police had said following the initial probe.
Following the incident, the Delhi Police had taken to Twitter to urge citizens not to indulge in speeding and always wear seat belts.
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"The Delhi Traffic Police is already running a campaign to spread public awareness regarding (the importance of) wearing seat belts. We are also taking legal action," the officer said.
'Safety' REIGNS over risks. #WearSeatBelt, no matter whether you are Indian, ROMAN or French!#RoadSafety#DriveSafe pic.twitter.com/IbdbeLXrZP
— Delhi Traffic Police (@dtptraffic) September 18, 2022
Union minister Nitin Gadkari had also said that only the driver and co-passenger were penalised for not wearing a seat belt. However, the law has now been updated to include rear passengers as well, the minister had said.
According to official data, more than 1,900 people died in Delhi last year in road accidents involving negligence on the part of drivers or passengers of vehicles, PTI reported, In 2020, More than 11 percent of road mishap deaths — 15,146 to be precise — were caused due to non-usage of seat belts.
The Delhi Traffic Police issued over 1.2 crore notices last year to offenders for not wearing seat belts, improper parking, jumping red lights and speeding, PTI reported.
No further explanation needed after one sees this 3 sec crash video!I have resolved to wear my seat belt even when in the rear seat of the car & I urge you all to as wellIn Public interest this video needs 2 b circulated, re -tweeted & shared with as many people as we can pic.twitter.com/ihx88OvfTM
— Dr. Sangita Reddy (@drsangitareddy) September 15, 2022
Car safety facts | Key points to remember while wearing seat belts:
Views on mandating rear seat belts
S Velmurugan, chief scientist, Traffic Engineering and Safety Division, Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), appreciated the traffic police's special drive. He said, "This enforcement can lead to a reduction in fatalities by 10 percent. Usually, people tend to speed during the lean traffic hours, which leads to crashes."
However, Atul Goyal, president of United Residents Joint Action Of Delhi, said mandating rear seat belts may not be a feasible move. He said, "Pushing for safety norms is a good step, but Indian families are bigger. Generally, more than two people sit in the back seat. Either there should be a provision for a third seat belt in cars, or mandating it would not be feasible. So the government should come up with an alternative. Provide alternatives before making rules."
(With inputs from PTI)
(Edited by : Akriti Anand)
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