A study by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) has alarmingly found only 7-9% of Malaysians to wear seat belts in the back, The Star reports, with transport minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai urging everyone to do so for their safety.
“Our road fatality rate is very high, and we have introduced many measures, including the back seat belt requirement. Unfortunately, adherence to the law is still very low,” he said. Malaysian roads claimed an astonishing 6,674 lives last year.
“This safety habit must be inculcated among Malaysian road-users the moment they get into their cars,” Liow said, adding that the police and Road Transport Department (JPJ) are already enforcing the use of rear seat belts.
“We don’t want to just continue with punitive action. We must also strengthen our awareness programmes. The law is already there. We just want to remind the public,” he said.
MIROS statistics show that the compliance rate for the rear seat belt rule was 47% when introduced in February 2009 (enforcement began on January 1, 2009), but this plummeted to 13% by end-2009, 9.7% by 2010 and 9.2% by 2011.
For some reason compliance rose to 13.5% in 2012, before dropping again to 12.5% in 2013, and 7.7% for the first four months of 2014. According to the institute, compliance and awareness seem to be borne more out of the fear of being fined.
A US Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration study revealed that in an accident involving a vehicle travelling at 50 km/h, the weight of unbuckled rear passengers jumps by 30-60 times their original weight.
This means that in a 30-50 km/h collision, an unrestrained rear passenger becomes the equivalent of a 3.5-tonne projectile hitting the back of the front passenger. Needless to say, that’s huge potential for injury or even death for both occupants.
MIROS statistics have also revealed that nearly 90% of vehicles currently on Malaysian roads are fitted with rear seat belts, giving seat belt access to 85% of vehicle occupants in the country.
Some people think the implementation of the rear seat belt law has been put on hold, and this is not true, MIROS has said. Only older models not equipped with seat belts are exempt from the law.
“What is important is for individuals to realise and be aware of its importance and not just buckle up for fear of being penalised,” Road Safety Department director-general Datuk Dr Tam Weng Wah said last year.
We know full well why we must buckle up, front or back. And law or no law, fine or no fine, belting up in the back is not difficult to do – we value our lives as well as those of our loved ones, don’t we?
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Well how about mandatory ESC, ABS, airbags and crumple zones, etc? It will not cost more than 5% additional to car prices. If you believe these features will be make it unaffordable to drive, take public transport.
Don’t forget, a dangerous car endangers not only the driver, but every driver around him/her.
Kadajawi shared in another forum, cost of ESC is actually very low.
For some carmakers that are stingy about it, that reflects how little their directors care about your safety, instead give coin box, tissue box, chrome bling bling, carbon fibre wrapped bonnet, blood-stained wheels, aaaaaand it’s a limited edition.
And Mitos should shock over Bolehland selling price…
Triple tax to own a car in Malaysia !!!
All they know are Rakyat problem, BN never have any questions…
Yeah. According to an American study it only adds something like RM 500 to the cost of a car, if it already is equipped with ABS. If not, you’ll also need ABS, which costs maybe RM 1200 or so.
And how much does a normal car cost in America compare to Malaysia? You know who to thanks to for the difference
You are quite off-topic here. This article concerns itself with safety devices not being properly used.
All the airbags in the world will only kill you if you didn’t use your seat belts in the event of a crash.
ESC and ABS would be a lot less effective if you didn’t take good care of your car, specifically, your tires.
Most cars have crumple zones today. If they didn’t, NCAP and IIHS tests would weed them out with low ratings that would make them a lot less desirable to potential buyers.
Car safety tech is good, very good. However, they wouldn’t make much of a difference if they are unused, misused, abused or ill-maintained.
Might I add that a dangerous driver makes any car dangerous, even something as advanced as a Rolls-Royce, and passengers are a threat to themselves if they didn’t use seat belts.
Leave discussions about regulations concerning car safety equipment for another day. It detracts from the current topic.
Well said man..
Seatbelts are more important than any of those technologies though, yet people won’t use them, because it inconveniences them a little. Maybe Malaysians are a bit suicidal… so why waste money on car features they don’t want?
Fat chance!! As long as Malaysians try to challenge PDRM to catch them if they can, these “rakyats” will disobey the laws and blame Gov & police for any mishaps.
Then when PDRM enforces and clamp down on these culprits, they go huha and scold the police they should go catch BN MPs instead of small fish like them.
Rinse & repeat ad infinitum.
Proton still the safest car in Malaysia.
So…. don’t complaints if you don’t know any things Sissy P2 owner !!!
Just stop commenting simple !
Echoed… Anyway, honestly i have to say that most Malaysian motorists shouldn’t drive on the road at all, instead should thrown inside Kamunting and Simpang Renggam detention centre for at least 2 years (it can either be extended for another 2 years or can be infinite stay), at least i no need to face traffic jam here and there like hell almost everyday.
In workplace, generally, if a worker/staff commit insubordination, he/she can lose their jobs anytime, but for Malaysian motorists, they even dare to ‘lawan’ polis especially those with many outstanding summons and warrant of arrest and refuse to settle although PDRM already gives multiple warnings prior to Ops Warta. In short, those Malaysian motorists that refuse to settle their outstanding traffic summons can just go to hell, no need to give trouble to other road users.
Nah. The way they drive like maniacs, they should be put into Tanjung Rambutan. Forever.
Sad but true, as long as the sentiment of who the hell wanna follow the rule should be known ”the good citizens” when the reality isn’t.. we’re all Hypocrites and selfishes, admit ’em.. Mine’s suggest? in the near future, these annoying belts should comes alongside ejector seats.. Also an eyesore in my C63 Black.
may i know the name of the girl in the first picture? tell her she is beautiful
horse face…skip..
I think you need your eyes checked.
Yeah I want to know too…for research purpose of course !
She is a staff on paultan.org. I knew her from college. And she’s got a hot bod.
Motorists know that seat belt save lives. If they don’t wear and value lives, too bad. Bear their own consequences.
On another note, rear seat belts is not enough judging from the photo used. A rear head-restraint is needed to hold the rear passenger’s head upon front or rear collision, or else the head or neck could get severe injuries like disconnected or something (sorry I am not a doctor). I noticed most European cars have a proper rear head restraints.
The neck is quite a flexible part of the body and in the event of a frontal collision, the neck would not be hurt in most circumstances, assuming a 3-point seat belt is used. It is rear-end collisions that hurt necks, causing what is called whiplash injuries. These injuries are mitigated by head rests, which are the head restraints that you mentioned.
This is why, when I shopped for a car, I chose to skip cars that only have 2 headrests out in the rear and cars still using only a lap belt for the middle rear passenger. I would advise others to do the same, if possible. Don’t neglect the passenger in the middle, now.
Yes thats right. I remember looking at the first Volvo S80 videos with their anti submarine seats for the rear collision impact. These cars now costs RM25k. A lot of safety for the money.
Without safety belt, 16 airbags also can’t save your ass.
Think Proton is safe? Think again.
Safer than stingy UMW’s metal coffins, as safe as a Volvo, as good as BMW. Jangan persoal!
Since when cannot persoal? p1 gets bashed most times, even in bimmer and merc articles!
…what has your first statement has got to do with Proton being unsafe?
I’ve give a thought again…yes.. current Proton’s model is safe
What models does Proton sell the most? Saga & Persona
Do Saga and Persona safer? NO!!!
Where are the safer Preve/Suprima S/Iriz? No one bother.
Where are Toyota safer Altis high spec, Camry Hybrid, Prius, Prius C? You can’t afford, then you pretend they don’t exist and talkok.
Haha.Ludah dekat langit kena muka sendiri.Before you talk about Proton driver,go and advice all the Toyota driver especially Vios and Camry.At road,drive like bitch.Think like they driving a supercar.Go and give advice ah,Same LOrrr
somemore those Toyota drivers think they got too long life ma (really tak sayang nyawa one since most of them buying their new car without VSC), to add salt into wound, no need to wear seatbelt one even with warning light blinking crazily, still don’t bother (i saw too many times already)
And Proton still produce cars like Saga without VSC, mmg tak sayang nyawa rakyat and supporters still buy them, haiz…
I am talking about cars, not drivers. People drive Lamborghini got accident and burnt, Mercedes also hit trees and burn, Proton also dive longkang a lot. You think Honda drivers are any better than Toyota?
Some Toyota drivers drive recklessly doesn’t mean all Toyota drivers are reckless. In fact we have a lot of uncles driving slowly blocking the road (now you also complain).
You eat curry rice, the rape convicts at Sg Buloh jail also eat curry rice, so you are as pervert as them?
Logic man! Logic!
Moving coffin is still moving coffin, no need to say driver la, curry la, drive slow la, that’s all cannot deny it.
Dei! Ini kari lah! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curry#/media/File:Chicken_makhani.jpg
I trust Proton’s safety than Tin Milo Takata. Their body safety rigidity seemed pretty solid coupled with traction control with multiple airbags.
Yeah, trust your Milo Tin Saga. Where is the traction control you’re talking about?
Yeah even 16 airbags in Toyota i snot safe.
Why? Because it is dangerous Takata airbags!
And Proton has what airbags? So good no need to recall one? Swan bags kah?
Proton airbag is from Autoliv (Swedish company) if not mistaken..the same manufacture that supply airbags to Volvo …I can say yes they are good..of course people do make mistakes..
I have just one question… Say that you drive a 5 seater car… And you have 4 kids… So what happen to the 6th kid? Left them home?
BUY MPV LO
If you want more kids – plan ahead, that’s what family planning is all about. Only have more kids if you have the extra means to support them. Be a responsible parent.
5 seater mean 5 passenger/driver..
Stop multiplying like rabbits until you are sure you can afford to raise them.
strange question, you mentioned there were 4 kids but you asked about the 6th kid.. so the 5th or 6th kid actually do not exists…so what’s the problem???…i presumed you meant including the parents..then you are concerned about the 4th kid ler…that’s easy.. leave it to the maid to be tortured…he he he
Give away for beggar recruitment…I see it’s a new trend nowadays…
Perodua Myvi RM45k – 5 seats
Perodua Alza RM54k – 7 seats
Tambah sikit only.
Right. Or
2006 Second hand Citra
less than 20K.
Still complaining not enough seatbelts? Then sacrifice the new car smell or have not that many kids. Simple really.
The cause of the fatal accident should be reported by Media to public to create awareness.
For example, this news about John Nash:-
http://www.nj.com/middlesex/index.ssf/2015/05/famed_a_beautiful_mind_mathematician_wife_killed_in_taxi_crash_police_say.html
Exactly. Likewise the Pajero incident… or the case where a cop crashed into a roll of steel that has fallen onto the road. All these people could still be alive if they had worn their seatbelt.
That is shocking.
It is not shocking at all … it is a normal practice by Malaysian car user. It will continue until real enforcement by police or jpj! Even that will take time…
No amount of enforcement can change ignorance and stupidity. Just look at Captain Obvious’s friends reply below
The best part? I was sitting in my friend’s car, I can’t even find the back seatbelt buckles. Apparently, he pulled it behind the folding seats so they don’t bother the passengers. Whut? Brain mana?
When I ask my friends at the back to buckle up, they go like “What? Really ah? Really meh? Need meh? Got police meh?” Guys, if you don’t buckle up then please go take the bicycle.
That commercial is funny.why i never saw it before
I am not surprised at all. Quite a few times when I am a passenger in someone else’s car and they notice me buckling up, I’ll get a quip along the lines of “wah, you so good boy ah. don’t worry lah, the police don’t catch one lah.”
You can clearly see that the only reason why the rear seat belts ever cross their minds is because there is a fine that’s supposed to be attached to not wearing them, and that fine is rarely issued.
It’s pretty much the same thing when I am the driver and I tell the rear passengers to buckle up. Usually the first thing mentioned is the fine. Now I start telling them about how they will become a ballistic missile if the car were to crash into anything head on.
I still find it strange that Malaysians are so resistant to wearing seatbelts as a rear passenger, never will happen to them theory that they believe in.
In the oil and gas sector, companies enforces mandatory seatbelts for all occupants, get caught and you stand a good chance of losing the job. It’s one way to enforce.
The other is education and we cannot save those who don’t believe in it.
I do wonder. For those who keep harping on enforcement action only, would you support similar harsh punishment (ie driving ban for 1 year) if got caught? Make sure u dun huha if it becomes a reality.
Anyone wanna start a petition to Gov to change the penalty for not wearing rear seatbelts?
You are so right. This also happened to me when I buckled up ESPECIALLY at the rear seat. They will look so surprise when they hear the rear seatbelt is buckled up…
What I may do when a rear passenger doesn’t buckle up is threaten to stop the car, let them walk, and explain to them how they are a threat to others, and themselves. If they don’t, I will stop the car, or, if possible (no one behind) I may just slam the brakes suddenly. Let them fly a bit. Then I can explain that in a crash you slow down much faster than that, so you really go flying. Sadly there are still people who believe in fate… then they’ll endlessly go on about how it is fate if you’ll die or not.
The figure is not shocking.
What more shicking is that even with the statistic available,no enforcement is done.
Don’t put the responsibility on the enforcement agencies – it’s the reposnibility of parents and/or car owners to self enforce it before it is too late.
No amount of saftey features in a car can save lives if unused or misused.
with car windows even darker nowadays u think police or jpj can see?
They looks very friendly and polite when meeting in person
But transformed into a monster when sitting behind wheels
They won’t let you cut in if you turn on the signal when changing lane
They talk to their phone while driving
They enjoy tailgating
They get mad when someone press the horn
Then, they always like to do things last minute
And keep blaming others for their misery
Guess the nationality of these people?
Rear seat belts? Hmm. . But still many ppl dont buckle up front..
Buckle up guys. Is your own life, you can’t be too careful.
Also, please make VSC standard equipment rather then useless sunroof and navigation.
A terrible accident happend yesterday, the Camry skipped and hit the barrier. Driver died on the spot.
VSC could have prevented it.
http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/05/26/Man-killed-after-car-smashes-into-toll-booth-barrier/
I am not shocked! What have we done to increase public awareness on the need to buckle up at the back? Nothing.
Don’t look elsewhere for the answer…
awareness? Can anyone claim to not know that wearing a seatbelt is safer then not wearing one? They just don’t care. They just rather wait for authoritise to stop them and issue saman.
Is their own life, and lets put it this way, they should care about their own life more then others on their’s.