Seat belt rule already law, Supreme Court tells police to enforce it strictly

Wearing a seat belt while driving is not just advice, it is already the law. The Supreme Court made this clear, saying it is the responsibility of law enforcement agencies, that is, the police, to strictly enforce these rules. The court also said that many deaths in road accidents could be prevented if people followed these rules.

The court made the observation while hearing a petition seeking directions to make seat belts mandatory. The case was heard by a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohan.

The petitioner's lawyer drew the court's attention to deaths in road accidents. The lawyer argued that if occupants of a vehicle and the driver strictly followed the seat belt rule, lives could be saved in many accidents.

During the hearing, the court said the laws on seat belts are already clear, so the real issue now is proper enforcement of these rules. The bench also raised the question of how to ensure every citizen and every driver in the country follows the seat belt rule. According to the court, enforcing the law and implementing the rules is the job of the concerned police and administrative agencies. This also made clear that these agencies will have to take more effective steps against drivers who ignore the seat belt rule.

The petitioner's lawyer raised another issue before the court. He said that while wearing a seat belt is required by law, fancy seat covers or other modifications made in many vehicles often make it difficult to use seat belts properly. The petition said such modifications affecting vehicle safety also need to be examined seriously.

Seat belts play an important role in saving the lives of vehicle occupants in road accidents. When a sudden jolt occurs during an accident, a seat belt provides the body necessary support and can help reduce the risk of serious injury or death. This is why the hearing brought out the point that following the seat belt rule could prevent many deaths in road accidents.

During the hearing, the court clearly indicated that there is no need for a new law on seat belts, since laws making seat belts mandatory while driving already exist. Disposing of the petition, the bench granted the petitioner liberty to send a copy of the petition to the concerned authorities. The court also said the authorities could consider the petitioner's suggestions. In other words, the seat belt rule is already binding, and it is now the responsibility of the concerned agencies to enforce it strictly.