Malaysia has started implementing the rear seat belt rulling yesterday (June 1), and it’s certainly a welcomed act to enhance road safety.
Various studies have shown that wearing rear seat belts could reduce accidents’ fatility. Lots of countries have implemented the rule, some for more than a decade.
One of my neighbours passed away in a road accident a couple of years ago… the front seat driver and passenger actually survived, but he was thrown out of the car from the backseat and couldn’t make it. Well, if the law was enforced earlier my neighbour could still be alive.
There are still some grey areas with our rules though… for example it’s kinda odd that it’s mandatory to wear our rear seat belts while baby seats for infants are not made compulsory.
Malaysians will have a three-month advocacy period to adjust to the new rule. Cars without the rear seat belts are given three years to install their belts… and it seems like local car manufacturers will install those seat belts for free.