KUALA LUMPUR: The Road Safety Department has clarified that the fourth passenger in the backseat of a car will not be issued a summons for not wearing a rear seatbelt.
Hoping that this would end the public debate on the matter once and for all, department director-general Datuk Suret Singh said the Government never had the intention to summon the fourth passenger.
The wearing of rear seatbelts becomes mandatory on Jan 1.
Suret Singh said although the law allowed for the authorities to take action if a vehicle was overloaded with passengers, it had not been enforced.
“It was not enforced in the past and will not be enforced now or in the future. This policy will remain,” he said, adding that the department was aware of the social implications.
Suret Singh said he was also aware of comments being made that not taking action against the fourth passenger was “silly”.
“It is not silly because research has shown that the likelihood of a car having more than three passengers is only between 5% and 9%.”
He added that all vehicles registered before Jan 1, 1995 were exempt from the rear seatbelt ruling.
On another matter, Suret said that the Shell oil company would be participating in its road safety advocacy programme beginning next week targeted at motorcyclists.
Star Online
05/12/08
PEOPLE'S POWER
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