7 out of 10 Indians never wear seat belt when travelling in the rear seat: Survey

In India, 7 out of 10 passengers while riding in the rear seat of a vehicle never wear a safety belt, a survey has found. The survey, conducted by LocalCirlcles, found that 26 percent out of over 10,000 respondents shared that they always wear belts in the rear seat, while 4 percent stated that they never travel in the back seats. 70 percent of those included in the survey admitted that they never wear a seat belt while travelling.

Deaths of high-profile people like Gopinath Munde, former central minister, have failed to generate enough awareness among the public, the survey said.

This was evident in the case of Cyrus Mistry, former chairman of Tata Sons, who died in a car accident on Sunday, due to impact of injuries as he was not wearing a seat belt unlike the driver and co-passenger in the front seats, both of whom have survived the crash with injuries.
 
The survey further informed that seat belts are one of the basics of car safety. "It is a legal requirement for the driver and all passengers to wear a seat belt in many countries. Air bags are designed to protect a buckled passenger, not an unbuckled one. Seat belts secure you in the proper position to benefit from airbag deployment."

In January, the West Delhi Traffic Police had run a 10-day campaign to ensure people sitting in the rear seat also wear belts as most motorists are unaware that it is not only mandatory to wear it as per the motor vehicles rules but also advisable.

The World Health Organization (WHO) in a report released earlier this year also emphasised how wearing safety belts in the rear seat can reduce the risk of being killed or injured by 25 percent and 75 percent, respectively. 

Also read: ‘Unfair to use Cyrus Mistry’s accident to hate all female drivers’

Also read: 'He was a friend to countless many': Shapoorji Pallonji Group issues first statement on tragic death of Cyrus Mistry