Be proactive and buckle up for own safety — JPJ
SIBU: Rear- seat passengers should be proactive and buckle up for their own safety rather than doing so only at the sight of enforcement authorities.
Road Transport Department (JPJ) state assistant director ( enforcement) Albert Clement said this yesterday when asked to comment on rear passengers not wearing safety belts.
Adding on, he revealed that the department acted on 18 cases last year; four in 2015 and 13 in 2014.
“Rear passengers seem to ignore (wearing of seat belts) but when there is a road block by JPJ or police only then, they buckle up,” Albert told The Borneo Post yesterday, pointing out the ruling came into force beginning Jan 1, 2009.
He cautioned that failure to do so constituted an offence under Rules 4A Motor Vehicles Rules (seat belts) Amendments 2008.
“An offender can be compounded to a maximum of RM300 or fined not exceeding RM2,000 or imprisonment not more than six months or both,” he added.
Meanwhile, during the launching of the Road Safety Campaign in conjunction with Christmas celebration 2016 for Sibu division at the Town Square last year, state Road Safety Department (JKJR) director Davina Agnes Enteli had urged the public not to depend on enforcement to put on the safety belt that could reduce serious injury by 50 per cent should an accident happen.
Instead, they ought to put them on to safeguard their own safety, she said.
“We have to wear it because we want to be safe. Wearing of seat belt is very important as it can reduce injury or serious injury by half if you put it on.
“But, if you don’t – you are actually increasing your risk for serious injury should an accident happen,” Davina said then.
Davina further highlighted that wearing of seat belts made a lot of difference, adding that it was equally important for motorcyclists to wear helmets.