MIROS: Alarming drop in rear seat-belt compliance & awareness
The Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) last week released a statement to remind car passengers to buckle up even when seated at the rear. The statement was issued on the back of concerns by the institute that the public’s compliance and awareness on the matter is alarmingly declining.
According to MIROS statistics, the rate of compliance to the rear seat belt rule stood at 48.15% in February 2009, a month after enforcement of the rear seat belt law took effect on 1 January 2009. However, in true fashion of Malaysian short-term memory, compliance had dropped to just 13.9% by October 2009.
Further compounding the problem, according to MIROS, is the misconception amongst some that implementation of the rear seat belt law has been put on hold, which is not true. Only older models not equipped with seat belts are exempt from the law.
“This non-compliance and lack of awareness is extremely alarming, and reveals 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,” said MIROS Director-General Professor Dr Ahmad Farhan Mohd Sadullah.
The Malaysian public’s refusal to embrace the use of seat belts is most puzzling. As Dr Farhan puts it, “While many are aware of, realize, understand and appreciate the importance of wearing the rear seatbelts, it is unfortunate that only a small percentage have translated this into action despite being constantly reminded.”
Further statistics by MIROS say that almost 90% of vehicles currently plying Malaysian roads are equipped with rear seat belts, giving seat belt access to 85% of vehicle occupants in the country. Almost 90% of passenger vehicles carry three passengers or less during journeys.
In the year 2005, 192 rear-seated passengers were killed in various road accidents, out of which 173 were not buckled. MIROS believes that 21 lives could be saved each year already if the rear seat-belt rule had just 20% compliance.
It should also be noted that the rear seat belts protect not only rear passengers but those seated up front as well. In an average speed collision (say 30-50kph), an un-belted rear passenger is becomes the equivalent of a 3.5-tonne projectile slamming to the back of the front passenger. You may argue that the front passenger is perhaps shielded by his/her seat back, but we are willing to bet that the seats certainly weren’t designed to absorb three and a half tonnes of force.
Meanwhile, in our recent chats with Perodua personnel, it was also revealed that the rate of cars going into their dealerships for the rear seat belt installation programme are also dwindling. The company is now working with MIROS to help revive awareness amongst affected vehicle owners to have their cars retrofitted with rear seat belts for free before the deadline of 2011.
