Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Thursday that soon, “three-point” or Y-shaped seat belts will be required on all car seats, including mid-rear seats.
The minister said at a press conference that the ministry would issue a draft notification in a day or two to invite comments of stakeholders after which the new rule would be notified.
“Automobile manufacturers are given a choice between two-point and three-point seat belts. Now, we are planning to make three-point seat belts mandatory as they are known to ensure better safety,” explained a senior government official. He said this provision would be required for all “front-facing” seats, including mid-rear seats.
A two-point belt is attached at its two ends, while a three-point is a combination of a lap belt and a sash belt, which is most commonly used in cars in India today. A percussion 3-point belt spreads the energy of the moving body across the chest, pelvis and shoulders.
Last month, the ministry had also proposed making six airbags mandatory for all passenger cars.
The minister said that he wanted the total deaths due to road accidents in India to be halved by 2025. According to the National Crime Records Bureau, there were 1.3 lakh road accidents in the country in 2020.
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