New Delhi: In a recent move, the Government of India has made it mandatory for all carmakers to equip three-point seat belts for all front-facing passengers in a car, including for the third passenger seat in the middle of the rear row.
"I have signed a file yesterday to make it mandatory for automakers to provide three-point seat belts for all the front facing passengers in a car," news agency PTI quoted the Road Transport & Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari as saying on Thursday.
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The announcement by Central government comes after observing that most of the cars in India have three-point seat belts only the front two seats and two rear seats, while the middle rear seat in these cars come equipped with only a two-point or lap seat belt which is hardly of any help in case of an accident or crash.
Several studies done in the automobile industry have pointed out that a three-point seatbelt is far safer than the two-point seat belt and causes less damage or injury to the passenger during an accident.
Addressing a press conference in the national capital, Gadkari also highlighted that as many as 1.5 lakh people die every year in 5 lakh road accidents in the country.
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However, the Union Minister did not clarify if there will be any fine or punishment if passenger in the middle seat or rear row found not wearing the seat belt.
Not wearing a seat belt in cars is a punishable offense in the country, but it has not been enforced for passengers sitting in the rear.
This is the second big intervention by the government to make car rides safer following the recent proposal to make six air bags mandatory in all passenger vehicles in the country.
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