If you a driver don’t forget to remind your passengers or your children at the back to buckle up their seatbelt.The regulations about the rear seatbelt still in effect and anyone who fail to comply will get RM300 summon ticket.The rear seatbelts enhance protection for the passengers in the back seat and it is said to cut down fatalities by 50 percent.Please drive safely and follow all the rules and regulations during this “Hari Raya”.Read the full news by Sakina Mohamed from Bernama below.
BUCKLE UP IN THE BACK, OR BE RM300 POORER.
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 — If you’re traveling in the backseat during the ‘Balik Kampung’ journey this Hari Raya, be sure to buckle up or you may end up RM300 poorer.
The rear seatbelt regulation is still in effect and enforcement authorities are stepping up the measures against anyone who fail to comply, says Road Safety Department (JKJR) Director-General Datuk Suret Singh.
Although the rear seatbelt use was enforced on 1 January 2009, it is obvious many motorists are unsure if the regulation is still in effect.
“I was in Seremban for a road safety campaign, and was baffled to find that the people I talked to were not sure if the regulation was still in effect. Well, if anyone still has any confusion, let them know that the law is still effective,” he says.
PROMOTING REAR SEATBELT
He admits that the rear seatbelt use compliance rate has definitely declined from 48.5 percent recorded in April 2009. However, he was unable to state the figures as follow up studies have yet to be undertaken.
“However, the Road Transport Department (JPJ) and our partners are committed in promoting a culture of 100 percent compliance.
“Getting a culture of compliance takes time,” he says, adding that the government is working hard to create such a culture among Malaysia road users.
He says JKJR and the Royal Malaysian Police will step up enforcement against those who fail to use seatbelts.
The rear seatbelts enhance protection for the passengers in the back seat and it is said to cut down fatalities by 50 percent.
SOME TRAVEL ADVICE
Toddlers and babies are required to travel in booster seats and baby car seats respectively. However, Suret advises those travelling with babies in car seats to put the booster or baby seats in the back. “Never strap baby seats in the front passenger seat. For cars equipped with front airbags, the impact of airbags deployed in the event of a crash or sudden brake is like a hand grenade and can kill the child instantly,” he points out.
It is also safer for babies in cars without airbags to be strapped into the back seat of a car, he says.
He also advises those driving in cars equipped with airbags not to depend wholly on it for safety.
“You must wear your seatbelts. There are cars which airbag may not deploy if the driver or passengers don’t wear their seatbelts,” he says.
CLEAR YOUR RECORDS
Concurrent with JKJR’s road safety campaign, motorists with outstanding summonses are advised to take advantage of the amnesty programme.
“The campaign’s goal is also to get road users to be responsible in paying traffic summonses with several incentives, including through this general amnesty programme,” he says.
Offenders can pay their summonses by installments and will not be penalised with demerit points.
There will also be no suspension of driving licenses, as under this general amnesty programme, traffic offenders who pay up their summonses will have a clean record with the RTD and the police.
Drivers unhappy with the summonses are also encouraged to come forward to the police or JPJ to prove that they were not in the wrong.
Jom komen!