Rear-seat passengers are required to wear seat belts by law. Failing to do so can attract a fine of Rs 1,000.

The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has issued a draft notification that mandates all cars manufactured from April 1, 2025, to have a ‘rear seat belt alarm’.

The ministry had issued a draft notification regarding the same earlier. The government had mandated 3-point rear seat belts, a rear seat belt alarm and 6 airbags, following the death of former Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry. However, the notification lapsed after the proposal for the mandatory fitment of 6 airbags could not go through.

According to a government official, the latest notification is only for the rear seat belt alarm and there is no other new provision.

Rear-seat passengers are required to wear seat belts by law. Failing to do so can attract a fine of Rs 1,000 under the Motor Vehicle Act.

Owners of vehicles that do not have seat belts for all passengers are required to get them installed by October 31, 2022.

The Mumbai Police have announced that seat belts will be mandatory for all occupants of the vehicle from November 1, 2022.

As per the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, whoever drives a vehicle without a seat belt and carries passengers not wearing seat belts shall be punishable. Owners of vehicles that do not have seat belts for all passengers are required to get them installed by October 31, 2022.

The announcement comes weeks following the death of ex-Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry. Initial reports suggested that Mistry was not wearing the seat belt and suffered a fatal injury during the accident.

Meanwhile, the government has deferred the proposal to make 6 airbags mandatory for cars for one year. The new regulations will now come into effect from October 1, 2023.

Source: Economic Times

Someone who has a budget of 5 lakhs and has to buy a new car can't afford a 5-star car even if they wanted one.

BHPian lordrayden recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

It's well known that we Indians (on average) don't prioritize safety as much as those in the US, Europe, Australia, etc. I have heard and read many varying reasons for it and have listed them down (in no particular order) as options in the poll. What do you think is the most COMMON reason(s) why we as a PEOPLE don't prioritize vehicle safety? Please do contribute to the poll and post if you have any thoughts.

I want to stress that the poll is not about YOUR personal views on vehicle safety, but what you think are the most COMMON views of our country as a whole. This would be the opinion you have formed about the average Indian's views by talking to people, reading articles, watching videos, etc. For example, someone who has a budget of 5 lakhs and has to buy a new car can't afford a 5-star car even if they wanted one. But that person could still have the opinion that we Indians don't prioritize safety because of lack of awareness.

Also wanted to point out the obvious that there ARE a lot of people who do prioritize safety, more so on Team-BHP than in the general population, so not taking anything away from them. And thanks to Tata and Mahindra, awareness about safety is on the rise in the last decade. But on average, in India we still don't prioritize vehicle safety.

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

Awareness is the main reason. Things are improving due to the public GNCAP results, Tata / Mahindra's track record with 5-star safety cars, an increasing number of articles & discussions around safety, government initiatives etc.

But overall awareness levels are still low and the general apathy toward safety sucks.

Hence, it is the government's job to push safety. Similar to how they pushed for ABS + Airbags + parking sensors + speed warning chimes, now the government needs to make ESP mandatory (as it is in many countries worldwide), and concurrently, cars with safe structures.

Only the government can force this change. Car manufacturers will be happy to sell unsafe cars as long as they can, and take advantage of this situation.

For example, someone who has a budget of 5 lakhs and has to buy a new car can't afford a 5-star car even if they wanted one.

Going the pre-worshipped route is the only way to get a safe car for 5 lakhs. Example, a used VW Polo.

Here's what BHPian SS-Traveller had to say on the matter:

The biggest ACTIVE safety feature of any car is the nut behind the wheel - the driver! Till the time that one can get one's driving license effortlessly and as a matter of right, India's road safety record will never improve. Rigorous training and impartial road testing by skilled examiners for new applicants, with existing DL-holding traffic rule violators being made to undergo such training and testing as well, is the only way to bring down road accident death rates. I'm certain this proposal would be unpalatable to the majority, but airbags don't save lives when the driver doesn't know how to.

Here's what BHPian Axe77 had to say on the matter:

I think more than awareness its our general lack of civic sense, care a damn attitude to rules and regulations (whether its the ability to stand in queues, stop at a red light, wear a helmet, spitting and littering in public).

Its also a relative lack of empathy towards others. We tend to look at immediate personal comfort and convenience over all else. So we'd rather be the first one crossing a point rather than let a pedestrian cross the road for instance.

So many cases in point:

• Why does a motorist have to be "told" that wearing a helmet is safe for him. Holds true even for people who've had a fall - yet they will continue as before.
• The guy who doesn't stop at a red light. He knows breaking it is wrong. Possibly also that breaking it is dangerous to himself and others.
• Trying to beat a pedestrian / other motorist and cut their path to be "first". That's why our driving is stressful. Its not just the traffic volume. Its because everyone is jostling with you in that heavy traffic.
• Why do even educated people have to be told to wear a seat belt. You carefully assessed all the features in the car (including all the seat belts); perhaps even judged it on number of airbags and safety ratings etc. Why not wear that seat belt then.

The list can go on.

Here's what BHPian alpha1 had to say on the matter:

Barring the adolescence (where one naturally feels thrilled to indulge in risky behavior), all the other ages people will take care of their health and lives.

First I wish to make clear that safety comes with prices. And increasing safety means reduced risk of losing life/limb and comes with increasing cost. Therefore there is a natural progression from two wheeler to two wheeler with safety gear to four wheeler to four wheeler with safety gear. You may have increasing layers of safety even within safety gear: seat belts, airbags, electronic controls, roll cage, helmet, body suit etc.
However, each individual looks at his assessment of safety and the means of expending the respective amount.

So what is left is awareness angle. Most of the people are not much aware about the risks common stuff at their house pose. How many people know the possibilities and danger potential of LPG cylinder or fuel line catching fire? How many people know about the risks of 220V electricity that is carried via exposed wires to their appliances?

How many people can fathom the injury risks their tools and equipment carry in case of mishap (say slipping while holding a tool in certain way). How many people while walking into a building take care to look above and remind themselves that something may fall from the floors above.

Our driving license dispensing mechanism still leaves a lot to be desired. However I sincerely wish that the least that could be done is to show the videos of real and simulated accidents and have a Q&A on what caused the accident and how it could've been avoided at the final stage of clearing the Driving license. That will make the future drivers aware of the dangers present on the roads.

Here's what BHPian greenhorn had to say on the matter:

My thoughts, based on my experience in other countries.

In India, or for that matter, most developing countries, when the brown stuff hits the fan, it's every man for himself, and you can't rely on the government, courts, or society to have your back. Unlike developed countries where a safety first approach is holistic, with everyone doing their part, that's not the case here. Life in developing countries is inherently more dangerous - wild animals, food poisoning, criminals, poor infrastructure, any number of things can kill you.

The burden of paying for the cost of safety in monetary, time and quality of life terms is very high, and all of this to protect life which is not valued highly in India in the first place. In such a hostile environment, there is a tendency to accept this risk as part of the cost of living there and move on.

You'd have noticed how covid guideline adherence started slipping after a while. People get fatigued, and decide that the price for safety is too burdensome. In India, after all, travel is viewed as either a convenience or a leisure activity, and adding safety to the mix achieves neither.

I think most Indians have considered the price they have to pay for safety first, given our circumstances, and decided that safety third is a more balanced option.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Rear seat occupants can be fined Rs. 1,000 for not wearing the seatbelt by law, but the rule is rarely enforced.

The fatal accident involving the former Tata Group Chairman Cyrus Mistry has brought to light the importance of wearing seatbelts once again. Mistry was travelling in the rear seat of a Mercedes-Benz GLC, which crashed into a divider near Mumbai earlier this week. It is said that he was not wearing the seatbelt, which led to serious head injuries.

In the light of this unfortunate incident, Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, has indicated that the government could soon make wearing seatbelts mandatory for rear occupants.

Gadkari stated that he plans to introduce seat belt reminders (SBR) for rear seats. At present, most cars have SBR for the front seats, or at least for the driver’s seat. He also confirmed that there would be penalty for not wearing seatbelts in the rear seats.

The government is yet to reveal the timeframe for the introduction of the new regulations.

Source: ET Auto

The moment they grew beyond a certain age, it becomes extremely difficult to convince them to buckle up.

BHPian enj0y_ride recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Many of us might have already gone through this: It's never easy to convince kids to stay buckled up, especially when they reach an age when they are hyper-active (never willing to stay on the seats for a longer time). There are many threads in the public domain, but all are focused on Western geographies and the tips they talk about, never work in India.

Taking my own personal case, when my kids were < 3 years old, I was successful in buckling them up in child seats. But the moment they grew beyond that age, I exhausted my wits to even convince them to sit on the seats when travelling. I bought booster seats, but in vain - they better stand than sit on that.

I am only successful in convincing them to sit in the rear till they are big enough.

Can you please share your experiences around these and tips that worked in your favour?

Here's what BHPian Rajeevraj had to say about the matter:

Right from the time when my kid was a couple of months old, she has always been in a suitable car seat. Since she was always in the car seat, as she grew older, it was naturally ingrained into her that 'If I am sitting in the car' it will be in the car seat. There was absolutely no compromise to that and it became a natural habit. Moved to a booster seat at around 8 years and recently removed that also as the regular seat belt became usable.

Again, all this, until now-Only in the back seat. Front seat was never even an option (apart from some rare unavoidable situations).

Not sure what are the ages of your kids now, there is some natural resistance that comes when they are 3-4 years old. Needs to be quickly and firmly handled (keeping aside the parental love and immediate gratification for that and thinking of the greater good-Definitely not easy). Once they get used to being unbelted and have got away with it, difficult to bring back the habit.

So my advice is, if you want your kids belted, do not compromise on it at all. Apart from resisting pressure from the kids, you also will have to resist pressure from your spouse (sometimes, in my case I had the full support) and more often from extended family-especially grandparents and uncles and aunts.

Only a teeny tiny percent regularly buckle up their kids. I have been ridiculed by a lot of people including friends and family, but I am glad I stuck to my position that a safety mentality is now ingrained into my kid and she naturally buckles up in any car she gets into.

So it is a tough one, but definitely worth the effort

Here's what BHPian condor had to say about the matter:

There was a lovely approach shared by a TBHP-ian in another thread, the gist of which I remember as:

He got the child seat and left it in the living room. His kid began to sit in it and began to like it. After some time, he moved it to the car. The kid took to the seat in the car too, without any fuss. I don't think it can get smoother than this.

Here's what BHPian SmartCat had to say about the matter:

Buy seat belt pillows from Amazon.

It is very comfortable for kids. Make sure you buy 2 pillows and fix both on the seatbelt. This way, the pillows cover the whole point of contact between the seatbelt and the child's body. My car:

Here's what BHPian libranof1987 had to say about the matter:

Just be strict about it. Tell them, the car won't move until they're buckled up / in the car seat. They'll throw a tantrum once, be angry twice, the third time, they'll listen. Our job is to parent them and wearing seatbelts is non-negotiable so let's parent them right.

Additionally, have your kids' teachers tell them that they should wear seatbelts at all times - that does the trick a lot of times. If you can find an episode on Peppa Pig where Daddy Pig says so - even better. It is ridiculous how effective that can be.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I am just wondering if driving car is safe or not in this current condition.

BHPian KumarS recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hi everyone,

I have been happily driving my 6 year old diesel Zest until now.

I found this spring loaded object behind driver seat today.  Car was driven last night, all seat adjustments are working fine.

I am just wondering if driving car is safe or not in this current condition. I posted this query in Zest forum too. 

Google lens hasn't helped either (it pointed out a gun muz).

Need help to identify what it could be:

Here's what BHPian Kosfactor had to say on the matter:

Appears to be part of the seat belt pre-tensioner mechanism. Its good to have this inspected.

Here's what BHPian ssjr0498 had to say on the matter:

Here is what I found:

BHPian KumarS replied:

Thanks for input, I went looking for seat belt pre-tensioner but could not find it. Sockets were attached to simple metal, no extra hardware is seen on both, driver and passenger seat . Then I looked under the seat and found that this spring thing is part of height adjustment mechanism.

When we lower the seat height, this gets compressed and when height is increased, this get uncompressed. That's why piston like mechanism, to make it slide during adjustment.

There are two of such things attached to seat frame, Left and right side.

Mine left hand side has broken off, right side still intact so height adjustment still working.

I could not find this part in OEM catalog which is here for front seats.

Arrangement seems serviceable but part is needed and a mechanic to get the job done.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

While removing the carpeting, I noticed a wire and connector poking out from under the driver seat.

BHPian greenhorn recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

One of the things I've been doing slowly over the years is adding DLX features on my Indica DLG. While removing the carpeting, I noticed a wire and connector poking out from under the driver seat. Curious about what it did, i tried shorting the pins together (Do not try this at home kids, you may blow up a fuse or worse, burn down your car. This DIY was done under controlled conditions under the supervision of an equally curious mechanic).

And guess what? The seat belt warning light lit up! After all these years it was just waiting there for someone to enable it.

Boodmo didn't have the correct part (from the Indica/Indigo DLX) but there was a Tiago part that looked suspiciously similar. I got the help of another BHPian who had a Tiago to check the dimensions of the Tiago buckle, and they looked close enough.

My mechanic did the actual fitting part, and he said he had to do a little bit of cutting/shutting so I'm not going to claim any diy here, but it's working.

I'm probably the only one going to so much trouble enabling the seat belt alarm in a car, when so many people are trying to disable it with fake latches.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I often find my seat belt hanging by the seat near the door and today it bit me. Well not literally bit me, but bit the car with a big dent on the door sill.

BHPian Nithesh_M recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

An update on the wiper washer nozzle. The service center never called after service nor has Hyundai for feedback. Very disappointing. Anyway I dropped by at service center this afternoon where my SA had asked to see if another cars nozzle will fit till the actual part arrives. Apparently Hyundai keeps sending them the wrong nozzle each time hence they didn't ask me to come back.

Anyway, a big issue happened today. Does anyone else experience the seat belt failing to retract after you've removed them? I often find my seat belt hanging by the seat near the door and today it bit me. Well not literally bit me, but bit the car with a big dent on the door sill. It literally feels like I've been stabbed though.

What happened was I was waiting for the SA sat in the car and when he arrived I got out and he got in. As he turned the ignition on I closed the door without realizing the seat belt buckle was hanging outside the door sill.

As a result the buckle literally ended up being hammered onto the door sill by the door.

SA said I'd have to remove dent for 1.5k from body shop. I'm not confident of handing over the car to body shop for small issue so he agreed to touch up the dent for now.

A query, should I get the dent removed and repaint asap to avoid potential corrosion issue or is the touchup enough for now? Asking this because door sills are more prone to rust as is.

The last image is me showing how it happened. I looked up online and this seat belt issue is a common thing on some Hyundais and BMWs.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information