Failure to fasten seatbelts tops traffic violations

A lot of footages of car accidents and simulation tests show the severity of injuries caused due to failure to wear seat-belts, says RAK official.

Photo courtesy: Christian Brecheis/Corbis images

Ras Al Khaimah — Failure to fasten seat-belts has topped the list of traffic violations recorded in the daily inspection raids being carried out by the Ras Al Khaimah Police. Irked by the prevalence of the practice, a senior police official said some motorists broke the safety rule on purpose.

“They (errant motorists) could have buckled up when seeing traffic patrols from a distance, but they did not. Such kind of motorists need to be made aware about the dangers of driving unrestrained,” said Colonel Ali Saeed Al Alkim, Director of Traffic and Patrols Department, RAK Police.

A Dh400 fine and four black points are slapped against drivers who fail to fasten their seat-belts, he warned.

Illustrating the danger of driving unrestrained, Col Al Alkim referred to the recent traffic accident in which a 30-year-old woman died after her car flipped over several times on Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road from RAK towards Umm Al Quwain. “Though speeding and inattentive driving were the reasons for the accident, the woman was flung out of the vehicle in the accident because she had not fastened her seat-belt.”

In another case, an Emirati sustained injuries in his skull in a collision accident while driving unrestrained from Ajman to RAK last year.

Col Al Alkim said wearing a seat-belt prevents bodily injuries in case of an accident. “A lot of footages of car accidents and simulation tests show the severity of injuries caused due to failure to wear seat-belts.”

Stressing the right way to wear seat-belts, he said: “Wear the upper strap over your shoulder and never under your arm or behind your back. The lap belt should be worn low over the hips, not against the stomach.”

He affirmed that seat-belts can never be replaced by airbags.

Research shows that a front-seat passenger is 40-50 per cent less likely to die if he/she wears a seat-belt.

In May last year, the Federal Traffic Council recommended a law making it mandatory for rear-seat passengers to buckle-up as well. Major-General Mohammed Saif Al Zafeen, Chairman of the council, said the Ministry of Interior is considering the seat-belt rule to ensure drivers’ safety. “Rear-seat passengers are mostly thrown to the front or to the side during a road accident,” he said. -ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com