“Drivers must take responsibility for passenger seat belt use”

HYUNDAI’S Head of Operations for Africa and the Middle East, Mike Song, says drivers across the region must take responsibility for making sure all their passengers are wearing seat belts, especially those in the back seat.

While most countries now require new vehicles to be fitted with seat belts for every passenger, and many have laws in place requiring passengers to wear them, Mike Song says bad habits remain widespread.

“The number of times I see people not wearing a seat belt is very worrying,” Mike Song said. “We put a great deal of effort into making each generation of new car safer, but a seat belt remains the single most important safety feature in any car. Without the belt holding you firmly in place in an accident, the risk of injury or death is much higher.” The UAE, where Hyundai has its regional headquarters, recently became the latest country to introduce laws requiring all passengers to wear seat belts when fitted, including in the back seat. Police are promising the laws will be enforced. According to WHO statistics, wearing a seat belt reduces the risk of a fatal injury by up to 50 per cent for front seat passengers, and 75 per cent for those in the rear seat. Child restraint laws, combined with a restriction on children sitting in the front a car, reduce the risk of death by around 70 per cent for infants and between 54 and 80 per cent for young children.