Safety obligation goes unheeded as people ignore seatbelt fastening rules

Despite mandatory laws, both drivers and passengers widely ignore seatbelt fastening while the vehicle is in motion.

Experts recommend ensuring seatbelt fastening to reduce the high number of fatalities in road accidents caused by this common malpractice.

According to the Road Transport Act (RTA) 2018, "Motorists cannot drive a vehicle without seatbelt restraint. Passengers must follow the prescribed provisions regarding seatbelts.

But in reality, even if the drivers fasten their seatbelts, the passengers are largely unaware of it.

Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) Gild observation data said, seatbelt wearing rate among car drivers is around 90%; Jeep or micro is around 67%, and among passengers for cars the rate is around 17% and Jeep or micro passenger around 6%.

Jeep/Microbus/Pickup drivers are more reluctant to wear a seatbelt when they are on the driving seat.

Jeeps with flags or pickup vans belonging to law enforcement agencies are found more unwilling to wear seat belts.

The leading cause for not fastening seatbelts is uncomfortable (22%), followed by uneasiness or feelings of anxiety (18%), movement restriction (14%), causing neck pain (11%), and self-complacency (5%). At least 10% of drivers have a wrong or misleading attitude and understanding.

Kazi Mohammad Shifun Newaz, assistant professor of Accident Research Institute at BUET told The Business Standard, "At 50 km/hr – not wearing a seat belt is the same as jumping from a fourth-floor balcony. Risk of death and serious injury in a crash or sudden stop is significantly reduced if a seatbelt is worn. Wearing a seatbelt can reduce the risk of death by up to 50% for drivers and front seat passengers and up to 70% for rear seat passengers."

A study on 100,000 crashes found that 80% of drivers and front passengers wearing seatbelts but died could have survived if the back passenger wore a seat belt, he added.

Target-oriented programmes are essential for ensuring seatbelt use - need to raise public awareness, to advocate concerned authorities for policy implementation and strict enforcement.

Ilias Kanchan, chairman of Nirapad Sarak Chai said, "Our law says that the driver and the passenger on the front must fasten their seatbelts. But now it is seen that even if the driver and the passenger in the side seat are wearing seat belts, when an accident occurs, it is the people sitting behind not wearing seat belts who are the cause of injury or death of the driver and the passenger in the side seat. So those sitting in the back seat should also fasten their seatbelts."

Nur Mohammad Mazumder, chairman of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority said, "Seatbelt wearing is mandatory for every driver and passenger in the Road Transport Act. We conduct mobile courts regularly so that the law is complied. Besides, we are working to make people aware about the benefits of wearing seat belts, while driving or commuting."