Earlier this year, the Minister for Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) in the Government of India, Nitin Gadkari announced that the Centre will soon make it mandatory for carmakers to provide a minimum of six airbags in motor vehicles that can carry up to 8 passengers for enhanced safety of occupants. To further enhance the safety of the occupants in motor vehicles, a recent report suggests that the Centre will also make it a mandatory feature in newer passenger vehicles to be equipped with three-point safety belts for all seats, including the middle seat at the rear. Until now, the rear middle seat would get an aircraft-styled seat belt, while all the other seats would get the three-point safety belts.
Until now, the rear middle seat would get an aircraft-styled seat belt, while all the other seats would get the three-point safety belts.
Also Read: Nitin Gadkari Aims To Cut Road Accident Deaths By 50% In Next 4 Years: Report
For the unversed, the first usage of a three-point belt was made by Volvo, in a Volvo PV 544, way back in 1959, which was then made available to other car manufacturers for free. Developed by Nils Bohlin, a three-point belt in a Y-shaped arrangement, is offered in most vehicles of today, for all the passengers except the middle rear seat.
Also Read: Car Safety Tips for Children
However, reports show that the chances of surviving a serious road accident are doubled if the driver and passengers take the time to buckle up. According to a government report, about 14 per cent of deaths in India are attributed to the non-use of seat belts. Nevertheless, we individually tried to reach the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), but they didn't comment.
Newer cars like the Volkswagen Tiguan is equipped with 6 airbags, ISOFIX child seat mounts, and 3-point seatbelts for all five occupants,
Also Read: What Is A Seat Belt Failure?
In fact, the protection afforded by airbags now mandated in cars is rendered ineffective if seat belts are not worn, not just by front passengers, but also rear passengers. A report released by MoRTH in 2020, revealed that non-wearing of seat belts was found to be associated with 20,885 deaths and accounted for 13.82 per cent of total road accident deaths in the country.
Also Read: Minimum 6 Airbags To Be Made Mandatory In Vehicles That Can Carry Up To 8 Passengers: Gadkari
Currently, an estimated 13.5 lakh people die each year due to road accidents related deaths. In addition to that, as many as 5 crore people are injured. Globally, right now road accidents are the eighth leading cause of death of people across all age groups, and the number one cause of death among children and youths aged between 5 and 29 years.
