Seat belts for rear seat passengers not mandatory in Kerala

, June 13: In view of large-scale protests from the public,

government today announced that it would not be mandatory for rear seat car passengers to wear seat belts.

Transport Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan stated this in the assembly while replying to a submission by K Sivadasan Nair (Cong), seeking government's clarification on the Transport Commissioner's recent circular, making wearing of seatbelts mandatory for rear seat passengers in cars. Nair said police and motor vehicle department officials had already started inspections under the new circular, which was causing difficulties to the public.

He also said the circular was issued in the wake of a report that Union Minister Gopinath Munde would not have died if he had worn a seat belt when the car in which he was travelling met with an accident. Radhakrishnan said government would withdraw the circular issued and added that it would not be mandatory for rear seat passengers to wear seat belts.

The Transport Commissioner's recent circular stated that passengers travelling in cars fitted with seat belts in the front and rear seats should wear them.

PTI