Mumbai Police has deferred the crackdown on seat belt rule by 10 days. Initially it was said to take start from November 1, 2022, but it will now be implemented from November 10, 2022. Cops will start issuing challans to passengers who aren’t wearing seat belts, even in the back.

Why the implementation is deferred

According to the Deputy Commissioner (Traffic) of Mumbai Police, Raj Tilak Roushan, the date of implementation has been pushed forward to increase awareness among motorists. Commuters will be sensitised about the traffic rules and its strict implementation. During these days, the Mumbai Police will raise campaigns for awareness via social media and radio channels.

Once the rule has been implemented, violators will be issued e-challans, as per the provisions of the Motor Vehicle Act. As per this Act, not wearing a seat belt is a punishable offence. Currently, only the driver and the front passenger have to compulsorily wear a seat belt.

What prompted this new seatbelt rule?

Back in September, the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, has laid out a draft notification for the penalty for not wearing rear seat belts in passenger cars. He also released a statement a few days after Tata Motors and Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry was killed in a road accident. He was seated at the back and hadn’t worn seat belts.

Seatbelts save lives

As per a report released by the SaveLife Foundation, usage of rear seat belts significantly reduce the chances of injury or death in case of an accident. As per the findings, very few people use rear seat belts. That said, thanks to safety awareness and crash test results being made popular these days, consumers are more aware of the risks of not wearing seat belts. You can read the full report here.

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