Only 9 percent of car passengers wear seat belts - Liow

Awareness on the importance of wearing the seat belt when travelling in a car is still low with only seven to nine percent of car passengers are buckled up, said Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

As such, he said the ministry would intensify campaign on the wearing of the seat belt for rear passengers, and also enforcement by the Road Transport Department and the police.

"I hope the people accept the advice because it is for their own good.

"I don't like to penalise the people, but if there is no enforcement, there will be very low compliance of the law," he told reporters after welcoming the arrival of participants of the "Kembara Kasih Merdeka 2015" convoy here Sunday.

Liow said more firm and effective measures would also be taken to reduce the accident rate in the country.

Last year, about 180,000 road accidents were reported nationwide, involving 6,674 fatalities, he added.