By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Sept 12: Buckle up or pay up to RM300 in fines as the Road Transport Department (JPJ) is about to enforce the mandatory use of seatbelts for all drivers and passengers in private vehicles nationwide—and yes, this includes back seat passengers.
According to The Star, JPJ director-general Datuk Aedy Fadly Ramli said enforcement will start soon, although he did not reveal the exact date.
“We will announce the enforcement of seatbelt use for passengers of private cars soon,” he said, adding that those who fail to adhere to the rule may face fines of up to RM300.
Meanwhile, he said that the department will focus on the ‘Klik Sebelum Gerak’ campaign first, which aims to enhance road safety culture and highlight the necessity of seatbelt use for all vehicle occupants, not just drivers.
A study by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) found that wearing a seatbelt can cut the risk of passenger fatalities in accidents by up to 50 per cent.
The seatbelt law, making it mandatory for drivers and front seat occupants, was passed in 1978 and was later amended to cover rear-seat passengers in 2009.
Vehicles registered before 1995 or those not equipped with rear anchorage points were exempted. — DayakDaily
