Saturday 11 July 2015

Seat Belt Rule: IMA Stand


Draft Document
Seat Belt Rule: IMA Stand
Dr A Marthanda Pillai Dr K K Aggarwal

1.                 Wearing seat belts while driving reduces fatalities by about 60 per cent and injuries by nearly 50 per cent during mishaps.
2.                 It doubles the chances of survival in a serious accident and prevents occupants from being ejected out from the vehicle in case of an impact.
3.                 The driver and co-passengers in four wheelers must wear seat belts as it is mandatory under the Indian Motor Vehicles Act.
4.                 The penalty for not wearing a seat belt is Rs. 100 for the first offence and Rs. 300 for repeat offences. [138(3) CMVR 177 MVA]
5.                 As per sub-rule (2) of the 138 of Central Motor Vehicle Rules, the driver and the person seated on the front seat of the motor vehicle are by law required to wear the seat belts, while the vehicle is in motion.
6.                 As per the provisions of sub-rule (3) of Rule 138 of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989 'in a motor vehicle, in which seat-belts have been provided under sub-rule (1) or sub-rule (1A) of rule 125 or rule 125A, as the case may be, it shall be ensured that the driver, and the person seated in the front seat or the persons occupying front facing rear seats, as the case may be, wear the seat belts while the vehicle is in motion.
7.                 Any person contravening these provisions of law and not wearing the seat belt as required shall be punished under Section 177 of the motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
8.                 Rule 125 (1) requires the manufacturer of every motor vehicle other than motor cycles and three-wheelers of engine capacity not exceeding 500 cc, shall equip every such vehicle with a seat belt for the driver and for the person occupying the front seat. 
9.                 Rule 125 (1A) requires the manufacturer of every motor vehicle that is used for carriage of passengers and their luggage and comprising no more than 8 seats in addition to the driver's seat, shall equip it with a seat belt for a person occupying the front facing rear seat. 
10.            The provisions in Sub-rule (1) of rule 125 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 stipulate that from 1994 onwards every manufacturer of Motor Vehicles other than MotorCycles and 3-Wheelers of engine capacity not exceeding 500 CC shall equip every such vehicle with a seat belt for the driver and the person occupying the front seat.
11.            In US: In 1983, front seat belt wearing regulations for drivers and passengers (both adult and children) came into force. In 1989, wearing rear seat belts became compulsory for children under 14. In 1991, when it became compulsory for adults to wear seat belts in the back of a car, there was an immediate increase from 10 per cent to 40 per cent in observed rear seat belt wearing. For your own and others’ safety, the law requires you to use a seat belt in all motor vehicles if one is fitted and for children up to 135cms in height to use a child restraint.
12.            traffic crash mortality can be reduced for rear occupants by approximately 55–75% if they use safety belts. [Inj Prev. 2007 Jun; 13(3): 183–185.]

13.            Safety belt use was associated with a reduced risk of death for rear car occupants: outboard rear seat aRR 0.42 (95% CI 0.38 to 0.46), and center rear seat aRR 0.30 (95% CI 0.20 to 0.44). For rear occupants of light trucks, vans, and utility vehicles, the estimates were: outboard aRR 0.25 (95% CI 0.21 to 0.29), center aRR 0.34 (95% CI 0.24 to 0.48). [Inj Prev. 2007 Jun; 13(3): 183–185.]

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