ID :
117004
Fri, 04/16/2010 - 11:12
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/117004
The shortlink copeid
RATE OF COMPLIANCE ON REAR SEATBELTS HAS DROPPED DRASTICALLY - MIROS
KUALA LUMPUR, April 16 (Bernama) -- The rate of compliance to the law, requiring rear passengers to wear seatbelts has grossly declined, according to the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros).
Its Director-General Prof Dr Ahmad Farhan Mohd Sadullah said from 48.15
percent in February 2009, a month after the law was enforced on January 1
2009, the rate of compliance had dropped drastically to 13.9 per cent by October
2009.
"Awareness is so appalling that some motorists even believe that
implementation of the rear seatbelt has been put on hold. This non-compliance
and lack of awareness is extremely alarming, and reveal that car owners and
drivers have done little to embrace road safety as a way of life and discipline.
"If anything, compliance and awareness seem to be borne more out of the fear
of being penalized," Ahmad Farhan said in a statement here Thursday.
He said there was no excuse for non-compliance as almost 90 per cent of
vehicles on the road in Malaysia are equipped with rear seatbelts, while 85
per cent of vehicle occupants have access to rear seatbelts.
Ahmad Farhan said a study conducted by Miros on Rear Seatbelt Availability
and Accessibility in Malaysia revealed that almost 90 per cent of passenger
vehicles carry only three passengers or less and only 10 per cent of road users
who carry additional passengers would have difficulty complying with the law.
He said findings into crash investigations conducted in the study showed
that in numerous accidents, the passenger compartment of a vehicle involved in
an accident remains intact with sufficient survival space for rear passengers.
"Statistics also reveal that Malaysia experienced approximately 350 deaths
due to accidents related to unbelted rear passengers," he added.
Ahmad Farhan said the study also projected that if 20 percent of road users
in Malaysia were to use rear seatbelts, 21 lives could be saved per year, while
the compliance rate of 80 percent had the potential of saving 84 lives a year.
-- BERNAMA
Its Director-General Prof Dr Ahmad Farhan Mohd Sadullah said from 48.15
percent in February 2009, a month after the law was enforced on January 1
2009, the rate of compliance had dropped drastically to 13.9 per cent by October
2009.
"Awareness is so appalling that some motorists even believe that
implementation of the rear seatbelt has been put on hold. This non-compliance
and lack of awareness is extremely alarming, and reveal that car owners and
drivers have done little to embrace road safety as a way of life and discipline.
"If anything, compliance and awareness seem to be borne more out of the fear
of being penalized," Ahmad Farhan said in a statement here Thursday.
He said there was no excuse for non-compliance as almost 90 per cent of
vehicles on the road in Malaysia are equipped with rear seatbelts, while 85
per cent of vehicle occupants have access to rear seatbelts.
Ahmad Farhan said a study conducted by Miros on Rear Seatbelt Availability
and Accessibility in Malaysia revealed that almost 90 per cent of passenger
vehicles carry only three passengers or less and only 10 per cent of road users
who carry additional passengers would have difficulty complying with the law.
He said findings into crash investigations conducted in the study showed
that in numerous accidents, the passenger compartment of a vehicle involved in
an accident remains intact with sufficient survival space for rear passengers.
"Statistics also reveal that Malaysia experienced approximately 350 deaths
due to accidents related to unbelted rear passengers," he added.
Ahmad Farhan said the study also projected that if 20 percent of road users
in Malaysia were to use rear seatbelts, 21 lives could be saved per year, while
the compliance rate of 80 percent had the potential of saving 84 lives a year.
-- BERNAMA
