HYDERABAD: The recent tragic death of Cyrus Mistry, former Tata Sons chairman, reportedly because he was not wearing a seatbelt, only serves to underline how many, particularly those in the backseat, disregard the advice to buckle up.
Experts contend that self-awareness is crucial in preventing such incidents. They draw attention to the fact that more than 95% of front-seat passengers and more than 99% of back-seat passengers do not utilise seat belts.
“People only exercise caution for a few days after an incident. After that, people stop taking measures as the memory of the occurrence fades. The same is true of using seat belts, driving while intoxicated, and speeding, among other things,” said Sandeep Shandilya, additional DG (Railways and Road Safety).
According to S. Velumurugan, chief scientist at the Central Road Research Institute in Delhi, people don’t utilise seatbelts even in high-end vehicles with a five-star rating. Cyrus Mistry’s tragic car accident was attributed to speed, but Velumurugan believes that the road’s design and the drivers’ reluctance to use seatbelts also contributed to the crash’s fatalities.
According to T Srinivas Rao, DCP (Traffic), Cyberabad commissionerate, people should wear seat belts for their own safety rather than to avoid fines. “They should wear seat belts for their own protection and it’s a myth that those in the back seats are safe without wearing seat belts,” he stated.
Another senior police official believes that other safety and life-saving measures take precedence on city roadways where low vehicle speeds and slow traffic movement exist. However, the Outer Ring Road, where the speed limit is typically rather high and there is little vehicular traffic, is where seat belt enforcement must be vigorously enforced.
Even a collision with a stationary item at a speed of 20 kph, such as a tree, an electric pole, or another halted vehicle, could be lethal. Even while such collisions cannot be prevented, the damage can be reduced by using a seat belt, another official observed.
Why seatbelt is a must
Rule 138 (3) of Central Motor Vehicle Rules
>>> When the car is moving, anyone in the front seat or in a rear seat with a front passenger must be wearing a seatbelt.
>>> Only 25% Indians strap seat belts while travelling in a car, a survey by an automobile manufacturer showed.
Deaths resulting from not wearing seat belts
August 2020: Congress leader Feroz Khan’s daughter Tanaya Kakde killed in a car crash at Shamshabad
September 2021: Two priests on their way to Suryapet died in a car crash at Hayathnagar
August 2018: Actor-turned-politician Nandamuri Harikrishna killed in an accident in Nalgonda district
May 2017: Former AP minister P. Narayana’s son Nishith and his friend killed in a crash at Jubilee Hills
Those who survived buckled their seatbelts
March 2021: A sub-Inspector of city police, along with his two family members survived a car crash on the ORR
November 2020: A drunk techie and his friend survived
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