BHUBANESWAR: Days after Tata Sons’ former chairman Cyrus Mistry and his friend Jehangir Pandole’s death in a car crash rekindled the importance of seat belts, Odisha Transport Department has planned to launch a special drive across the State to ensure compliance of safety belts.
Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) Nitin Gadkari recently pointed out that there is a provision for Rs 1,000 penalty for not wearing seat belts but there is hardly any compliance. He said the enforcement responsibility lays with state governments.
Sources said Odisha Police detected 26,084 seat belt violations between January and June this year. Most of it was for driver and front seat passenger. The Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) across the State have detected 4,628 seat belt violations during the same period and have suspended 147 driving licenses. Their enforcement also confirmed that very little attention is paid to seat belts compliance of rear seat passengers.
“We have planned to carry out a special drive against non-compliance of seat belts. We are expecting MoRTH will soon issue an advisory to all states/Union Territories on its enforcement. Once we receive it, the special drive will be planned accordingly,” said a senior official of the State Transport Authority (STA).Sources said the STA will launch seat belt enforcement in the State after its special drive against drunk driving between September 7 and 9 is over.
According to Rule 138 (3) of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR), persons seated in the front seat or the persons occupying front facing rear seats must wear seat belts while the vehicle is in motion. Failure to do so can attract a fine of Rs 1,000. Although not wearing a seat belt is punishable under the law, most people are either unaware of this rule or simply ignore them.
“It is important for passengers sitting on rear seats to wear safety belts as most of them are either busy looking through windows, engaged with mobile phones, reading books or taking a nap,” said Mitsubishi Motors Odisha dealer’s general manager, Tushar Patsani. As an object moves faster, its mass increases. So the people with no seat belts can face severe consequences during a crash, he added.