Free rear car seat belt installation

Owners of locally-made cars not already fitted with rear seat belts will get them installed for free.

This is being worked out with the manufacturers, banks and insurance companies and a memorandum of understanding (MoU) is expected to be inked soon said the Transpor Minister.

A source in a major local car manufacturer said the signing ceremony would take place tomorrow. Details on where to get the cars fitted with free rear seat belts would be announced later. The ruling came into force yesterday making it mandatory for rear seat passengers to wear seat belts.However, no summons for the offence will be issued until the end of August. The ruling is only effective for cars registered after January 1995.

Owners of cars without rear seat belts have three years to get them installed. Perodua Kancil and Kenari cars manufactured in 1998 and until mid-2004 will be exempted from the compulsory backseat belt rule. Road Safety Department director-general Datuk Suret Singh said this was because the models produced during this period did not have anchorage points for rear seat belts.

[thestar]

All this will be a waste if there is no enforcement involve and we have yet see any move to make it compulsory on the public transport or commercial vehicles.

Updates:

BM