Page 32 - Risk Management Bulletin January-June 2023

RMAI BULLETIN JANUARY - JUNE 2023

pertaining to driver behaviour, road engineering, and overspeeding has consistently been a major causal
vehicular issues. The latter deals with the causes leading factor behind road crashes, the non-usage of seat belts
to the subsequent injuries and deaths mostly in the has emerged as a major cause of injury and fatalities.
realm of infrastructural and vehicle safety issues. Today, For the authorities to prevent such unnecessary injuries
seat belts are a standard feature in most vehicles as and deaths, it is imperative to ensure strict enforcement
they are an essential element that work towards of rear seat belt usage. This combined with a rear seat
preventing serious injuries and deaths. belt reminder — as in the front seat belt— should be
made standard practice across the board.
Even the law requires seat belts to be worn, not just
for your safety but the safety of other occupants as a What is also the need of the hour is an extensive
single unbelted passenger can collide with and severely awareness campaign at the level of the Swachh Bharat
injure other passengers. Rule 138(3) of the Central Mission to address the issue of road crashes. A
Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, makes it mandatory for the combination of these is required for the prevention of
rear passengers too to wear seat-belts. Further, non- road crash deaths and injuries being witnessed in record
wearing of seat-belts by the driver or passengers has
numbers in recent times.
been made punishable with a fine of one thousand
rupees according to Section 194B(1) of the Motor
In an alternate reality, the Palghar incident might have
Vehicles Act, 1988 (as amended by the Motor Vehicles
panned out differently— wherein the vehicle may still
(Amendment) Act, 2019.
have veered off for any unknown reason but had not
collided with an exposed concrete structure owing to
Compliance and enforcement the presence of crash barriers or other attenuation
Despite penal provisions, the level of compliance measures. Within this reality, even if the vehicle came
among rear seat passengers remains abysmally low. In to a sudden halt, the rear seat passengers would have
a 2019 survey undertaken by SaveLIFE Foundation, only emerged largely unscathed, or with minor injuries
7% of respondents confirmed using a rear seat belt. In owing to the fact that they too were secured with rear
fact, most people are unaware of this rule mandating seat belts, like their front seat counterparts.
rear seat belts despite it having legislative force.
Such incidents are to a large extent avoidable, and
As far as enforcement is concerned, there is much therefore, must not be viewed as accidents or near
greater emphasis on the use of front seat belts as accidents. The mandatory use of seat belts, not just
compared to rear seat belts. In that sense, the usage of front but also rear, is the simplest behavioural change
the rear seat belts suffers both from lack of adequate that each one of us can practise every time we step
information as well as strong enforcement. into a four-wheeler. With a simple click of the seat belt
indicating it getting fastened securely, each of us works
Life-saving prescription towards ensuring our own safety as well as that of fellow

In the crashes investigated by SLF over the years, while passengers. (Source: The Indian Express)

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