Did You Know Rear Seat Belts Are Mandatory In India?

Rear seat belts are in focus after the fatal crash that killed Cyrus Mistry, industrialist and former chairman of Tata Sons Pvt.

Mistry was travelling in the rear seat along with Jehangir Pandole in the car that crashed near Mumbai, according to the police. Both of them were not wearing seat belts, media reports said citing the police. Pandole, too, died in the accident.

The driver and the front passenger were seriously injured but survived the crash.

More than 1.55 lakh people died in India in road accidents in 2021. And according to a report by the Road Transport and Highway Ministry for 2020, more than 11% of deaths and injuries are caused by not using seat belts.

Under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, manufacturers of M1 vehicles—passenger cars—have to equip every motor vehicle with seats not just for the front passengers, but also those occupying the front-facing rear seat.