Cyrus Mistry's death triggers debate on seatbelt laws in India

New Delhi, Sep 05: Former Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry, who died in a car accident on Sunday, was not wearing a seat belt, primary probe has revealed. The incident took place in Palghar, about 135 kilometers north of India"s financial capital Mumbai.

The ill-fated car covered 20 km of distance in just 9 minutes after crossing the Charoti check post in the Palghar district, 120 km away from Mumbai.

The car hit a road divider on the bridge on the Surya river, killing Mistry (54) and Jahangir Pandole on the spot.

Cyrus Mistry's car crash has triggered a debate on laws governing the usage of seatbelts for front passengers and passengers in the rear seats.

Seatbelt laws in India

The government has made it mandatory for automakers to provide three-point seat belts for all front-facing passengers in a car. The norm will also be applicable to the middle seat in the rear row of a car. Failure to do so can result in a fine of Rs 1,000.

According to the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, wherever seat belts are provided, "it shall be ensured that the driver, and the person seated in the front seat or the persons occupying front facing rear seats, as the case may be, wear the seat belts while the vehicle is in motion".

Presently, only the front seats and two rear seats in most cars produced in the country have three-point seat belts. However, the centre or middle rear seats in these cars come equipped with only a two-point or lap seat belt, similar to the ones provided in aircraft seats.

However, in India, passengers generally do not wear seatbelts, not realising that this basic safety measure can turn out to be a lifesaver in case of an accident.

Usually, regional transport authority officials seldom fine or punish them for not wearing seatbelts.

What WHO report says

A World Health Organisation (WHO) report stated that seatbelts can reduce death and serious injuries to passengers in the rear seat of a car by 25 per cent.

• Correct helmet use can lead to a 42% reduction in the risk of fatal injuries and a 69% reduction in the risk of head injuries.
• Wearing a seat-belt reduces the risk of death among drivers and front seat occupants by 45 - 50%, and the risk of death and serious injuries among rear seat occupants by 25%.
• The use of child restraints can lead to a 60% reduction in deaths.

Every year, around 1.5 lakh people are killed in five lakh accidents across the country. Union Minister Gadkari had expressed remorse that his Ministry could not reduce these numbers despite taking several measures.

Besides, 62 per cent of those killed in road accidents are in the 18-35 age group.