‘98% Indians don’t use rear seat belts’

MUMBAI: A recently conducted survey across eleven Indian cities, including Mumbai, found that 98% of the respondents do not use a seat belts while sitting on the rear seat of a four-wheeler.

The report, conducted by NGO SAVELIFE Foundation and Nissan India, comprised of 6,305 people from various age groups. It was published on Monday, which marked the first day of national road safety week – observed from February 4 to 10.

According to the study, 70.5% of the people surveyed knew that rear seats in cars have seat belts, of which only 7% use it regularly. Further, only 27.7% knew that use of rear seat belt is mandated by law.

The survey also highlighted poor law enforcement, with 91% of respondents stating that they have never been stopped by the police for not using the rear seat belt. Throwing light on child safety, the report found that only 10% of school buses have provisions for seat belts.

As per the report, non-usage

of seat belts led to 5,638 and 26,896 deaths in 2016 and 2017, respectively. According to WHO, use of rear seat-belt reduces the probability of accident-related deaths by 25% and injuries by 75%.

State transport commissioner Shekhar Channe, while addressing a media workshop on Monday, had said that his official vehicle did not have rear seat belts and he had to have them fixed.