Rear seat-belt compliance at alarming level -MIROS

According to MIROS statistics, the compliance rate for rear seat-belt rule stood at 47 percent when introduced in February 2009, a month after enforcement of the rear seat-belt law on Jan 1, 2009.

However, the percentage of compliance had dropped to just 13 percent by end 2009.

Further compounding the fears of MIROS was the drastic consistent drop in the usage and compliance in the following years, especially in 2010 when it dropped to 9.7 percent, 2011 (9.2 percent), 2012 (13.5 percent), 2013 (12.5 percent) and 7.7 percent for the first four months of this year.

It said this non-compliance and lack of awareness was extremely alarming, and reveals that car owners and drivers had done little to embrace road safety as a way of life and discipline and ff anything, compliance and awareness seem to be borne more out of the fear of being penalized.

A study conducted by the United States through its Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration revealed that during an accident involving a vehicle travelling at a speed of 50kph, the weight of the passengers seated in the rear and not buckled up, increases by between 30 to 60 times their original weight.

Therefore, the impact during an accident can result in serious danger to themselves and passengers seated in front, when they are thrust forward upon impact.

It should be noted that the rear seat belts protect not only rear passengers but those seated in front as well.

In simple terms, during an average speed collision (say 30-50kph), an un-belted rear passenger becomes the equivalent of a 3.5-tonne projectile slamming to the back of the front passenger.

"You may argue that the front passenger is perhaps shielded by his/her seat back, but we are willing to bet that the seats certainly weren't designed to absorb three and a half tonnes of force," said the statement.

Road Transport Department (RTD) director-general Datuk Seri Ismail Ahmad said during an interview with Bernama that the RTD had issued 47,302 summons from 2012 to 2013 when carrying out enforcement duties throughout the country.

In 2012, motorists from Johor recorded the highest number of summons for non compliance at 1,932 in 2012 and 8,997 in 2013, he said.

"Last year we carried out two major operations throughout the country and this year we hope to increase it to three or four. Basically such operations are carried out are to ensure the compliance of the law," he said.

Further statistics by MIROS say that almost 90 percent of vehicles currently plying Malaysian roads are equipped with rear seat belts, giving seat belt access to 85 percent of vehicle occupants in the country.

One compounding problem according to MIROS, is the misconception amongst some that implementation of the rear seat-belt law has been put on hold, which is not true.

Only older models not equipped with seat belts are exempt from the law, it said.

Road Safety Department (JKJR) director-general Datuk Dr Tam Weng Wah during an exclusive interview with Bernama also expressed concern with the rising number of fatal road accidents.

"Awareness among the people is still low with about 20 deaths recorded every day due to such accidents and they could be a mother to someone, a child to someone, a husband to someone, etc.

"What is important is for individuals to realise and be aware of its importance and not just buckle up for fear of being penalised," he said.

He added that JKJR's main concern was to reduce the number of accidents on roads to 2 percent per 10,000 vehicles by 2020.