The use of rear seat belts has been mandatory in Malaysia since 2009, but very few people have observed the rule, simply because there has been no enforcement of it in the past. Back in 2021, the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety (MIROS) reported from its observations that only around 11% of rear occupants used seat belts, despite the regulations being there.
That will soon change, of course, with the road transport department (JPJ) having announced last September that it will soon begin enforcing the mandatory use of seatbelts for all drivers and passengers in private vehicles nationwide. The exact date for the start of enforcement was not disclosed when the announcement was made, but it was mentioned that there would be a period of advocacy before that happens, with educational campaigns like Klik Sebelum Gerak being one of the approaches taken.
Random enforcement may be accelerating things. Earlier this month, a traffic summons was reportedly issued to a motorist for a rear occupant failing to wear a seat belt, with a Facebook post bringing the matter to light. The notice, issued under the Road Transport Act 1987, cited the offence and was said to have been issued on February 7 at Jalan Persiaran Pusat Bandar Nilai, Negeri Sembilan.
In any case, while strict enforcement will undoubtedly ensure that rear occupants in a vehicle buckle up, road safety experts continue to highlight the safety reasons as to why rear occupants should always be buckled up. Road Safety Council of Malaysia (MKJR) council executive member Datuk Suret Singh stressed the importance of their use, saying that rear seat belts can reduce the risk of serious injury by up to 50% in a crash, as The Star reports.
Meanwhile, Universiti Putra Malaysia road safety research centre head, Law Teik Hua, said that many Malaysians perceive the use of rear seat belts as “optional,” but “in a collision, rear passengers can be flung forward with great force, endangering themselves and those in front.”
He said that a change in mindset was necessary, and not because of the fear that non-compliance would only be costly in monetary terms. “Wearing a rear seat belt is not about avoiding a fine, but about protecting lives,” he explained. He added that parents should ensure children are properly secured at all times. “A few seconds spent buckling up could save a life,” he stated.
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