Not wearing seatbelt on rear seats? Delhi cops have their penalty receipts out
Delhi Police has started penalizing passengers found guilty of not wearing seatbelts even when they are seated in the back seats of a vehicle. In the aftermath of the tragic death of former Tata Sons Chairman Cyrus Mistry, there has been an increased focus on the need to buckle up in a car regardless of where seated.
While wearing seatbelts have always been mandatory on all seats in a car on the move, the crucial aspects of enforcement and awareness have been lackluster. This is especially true for those on the backseats with an overwhelming number of people not wearing this crucial safety device. But getting away without buckling up in the rear seats won't quite be the continuing norm any longer. Delhi Police officials have stated that there is now increased checking on city roads to ensure that everyone inside a car is wearing a safety belt. The cops issued 17 challans on Wednesday with the enforcement drive being carried out on Barakhamba Road near Connaught Place. There are now plans to extend this to other parts as well.
Also Read : World's deadliest roads - India's multi-pronged problem
But it isn't just about stopping vehicles, checking proper seatbelt usage and issuing fines to the guilty. The department claims that it is also carrying out special awareness programs to ensure that proper safety measures are adopted by motorists.
Also check these Vehicles
The renewed focus on seatbelts comes just after Mistry lost his life in an unfortunate road accident on a Gujarat-Maharashtra highway. Investigations have revealed that Mistry was not wearing a seatbelt while seated on the rear seats when the Mercedes SUV he was traveling in crashed against an obstruction. This has prompted a nation-wide move to ensure that motorists buckle up in the interest of safety.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari too has urged for all to wear seatbelts and his government has banned sales of seatbelt alarm blockers. Additionally, Gadkari is also pushing for a minimum of six airbags to be mandatory in all cars sold in the country, regardless of variants, segment and price brackets.
(With inputs from ANI)
