Monday November 3, 2008
No sure decision yet on whether extra passenger needs to belt up or pay up
KUALA LUMPUR: The countdown to the rear seat-belt law has begun but there is one nagging question – what happens if there’s an additional passenger?
A normal saloon car can seat five passengers, three of them in the rear.
The uncertainty among those with more than five family members is, can the additional passenger travel without buckling up, once the rear seat-belt law is enforced on Jan 1?
The Road Safety Department says they can, but the traffic police says the issue has not been decided.
Department director-general Datuk Suret Singh said a car with a capacity of three seats in the rear would only have three seat belts.
However, the driver would be advised not to carry a fourth passenger without a seat belt.
But in the event there is a fourth rear passenger, he clarified that the extra passenger would not be summoned.
According to a survey conducted by his department, 91% of the cars sat fewer than three passengers behind. Only 9% of the cars had more than three passengers in the rear.
“If a van, MPV or saloon car has a seating capacity of seven, then seven seat belts should be provided.”
Federal Traffic Chief Senior Asst Comm Abdul Aziz, when contacted, said police had yet to decide on the issue of a fourth passenger in the back seat not belting up.
“It’s too early for me to comment on that, we will decide on the matter when the time comes,” he said.
He said for now, the concern was to educate the passengers to start using the rear seat belts.
“It is a good practice for the drivers, and also for the safety of their passengers,” he said.
Suret Singh said car manufacturers like Proton, Perodua and Honda have agreed to retrofit the rear seat belts free-of-charge for cars assembled after Jan 1, 1995.
They have all signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the department, he said, adding that he was optimistic Naza would also retrofit the rear belts for free for their cars.
“We appreciate the contribution of all these companies to retrofit the belts without any extra cost as part of their corporate social responsibility programme for road safety,” he told The Star yesterday.
These companies are expected to announce soon the locations where the seat belts can be retrofitted, he added.
You expect all your national cars without rear seatbelt (those manufactured earlier) to install it within 60 days? Only now 'expecting to announce locations where seat belt can be retrofitted' Can u imagine if all Malaysians whose car without rear seatbelt go and fit it withing this 60 days? What's 1,000,000 cars divided by 100 centers? how fast can they fix? Somemore, what happens to those car who doesnt have manufacturer service centers like those old Honda, Mazda and other Ocipala brand? Where to fix? the Menteri's house?
And the Parliment is half asleep. Its good to ensure rear passenger buckle up. It saves lives. But, they dont even have a decision for the extra passenger!!@@! What is the purpose of you wanting people to buckle up?? Save life!. An extra passenger who didnt buckle up will be equivalent to all rear passenger didnt buckle up.. The extra one is going to be the projectile during an accident as usual, killing himself and the passenger in front.. What is this? Make it compulsary lar..!No overloading. If your purpose is really to save lives.. If not, don implement it at all.. It will become our 'mata's' good chance to have more coffee to drink... How many times u see a car overloaded? I guess it equivalent to the times u see a bike in malaysia...
Even such a small thing also cant make a proper decision..! Rear passenger? 'advised not to'!' what's this? vague answer...! Is this what they (those MPs) are paid to do? Giving vague answer so their mata have more coffee to drink? Hangat Hangat Chicken Shit...! got starting no ending. No follow up.. No wanna implement dy, I am sure these people will be shouting to Proton Edar, Where is ur free seatbelt u promised???!! Quick! 60 days more left..!@
Malaysia Boleh! Semua boleh!
*my advise, if u don wanna die, or let mata have chance to say anything and wanna overload, bring a rough rope with u and tie urself up like the others...In case of accident, u wont become a projectile! and police catch, tell them, menteri say, 'advisable dont' only leh.. But i no money to buy MPV wor... and seatbelt pasang needa wait for months for my appointment.. So, use rope first lor...same wad.. HAHAZ>>! what a joke..
Anyway, its study week for me starting from 12pm today!...STUDY MODE: ON
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