Experts speak to mid-day on whether cars plying in the city can have seat belts installed in rear seats now, say it’s possible if mounting points are intact
Most small cars currently have two-point seat belts for rear seats as seen in the photo. Pic/Sameer Markande
AMID the confusion regarding Mumbai traffic police’s rear seat belt order, mid-day spoke with experts to take stock of the status of vehicles and to discuss ways to ensure safety. Experts said that most vehicles have rear seat belts but they are either rarely used or disabled, and can be reinstalled easily.
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The traffic police’s order focuses on installation and use of rear seat belts without referring to the type. There are two types of seat belts available. One is the two-point ones which go over one’s shoulder, which is found in most cars. And the other is the three-point seat belt, which goes over the lap as well as chest to ensure maximum safety. This, however, is seen only in big vehicles, such as SUVs manufactured after 2019.
Also read: Travelling without seatbelt: Offenders to be issued challan from Nov 11
Senior Inspector Sampat Londhe from Kanjurmarg traffic police tells motorists and passengers about the new rule about wearing rear seat belts, in Bhandup. This comes as a part of the traffic police’s drive to raise awareness about the rule before they start collecting fines for violation from November 11. Pic/Rajesh Gupta
“Rear seat belts in existing vehicles have been found to be disabled in most cases as it hurts the person who sits in the middle. There will not be much of a problem in getting them back in shape. But the real problem is three-point belts for rear seats which do not exist for most vehicles,” said a mechanic from Motorsounds, Sarvodaya Nagar at Mulund.
Union ministry draft rules
On September 19, the Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways (MoRTH) issued a draft proposal seeking comments on mandatory installation of seat belt reminders for occupants in rear seats of vehicles used for carrying passengers with not more than eight seats. A copy of the proposal is with mid-day.
Seat belt reminder is a system that alerts the driver of the vehicle if any passenger has not fastened the seat belt. Currently, it is mandatory for car manufacturers to install a seat belt reminder for front seat occupants, including the driver.
A new regulation also makes it mandatory for four-wheelers to have six airbags. However, vehicle manufacturers have sought more time to implement both airbag and seat belt reminders for rear seats as they need to be installed at the manufacturing stage. Transport experts said this will push the cost of vehicles higher.
‘Retrofitting not possible’
Akbar Merchant from Autocar India, who has over 13 years of experience in the Indian automotive industry, said, “Seat belts are a safety feature that are fitted at the factory when the vehicle is built. As far as rear seat belts go, most brands have been offering them since quite some time.”
When asked about fitting seat belts in current cars, he said, “If the vehicle owner has removed the seat belt provided from the factory and the mounting points are still intact, a replacement seat belt can be installed at the brand’s authorised service centre. It may not be possible to install a seat belt aftermarket for most vehicles which never had such a provision.”
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