Buckle-up, Rear Seat Passengers

The Star reported that the Road Transport Department (JPJ) and police will start issuing summonses from Jan 1 to all passengers for not wearing their rear seat belts.

Vehicle owners and passengers would be given a six-month grace period during which they would only be issued a compound of RM300 for not wearing their rear seat belts.

But from July 1, drivers and passengers caught not using their seat belts would have to pay a fine of up to RM2,000, serve up to one year’s jail or both under the Road Transport Act.

However, it is not mandatory for cars registered before Jan 1, 1995 to be retrofitted with rear seat belts as they do not have the rear anchorage points.

Other vehicles that are exempted from the ruling are commercial vehicles such as taxis and rental cars, large vehicles that can seat nine passengers or more and haulers that have a tonnage limit of more than 3.5 tonnes.

Proton, Perodua and Honda have signed a memorandum of understanding to retrofit rear seat belts in 227,000, 435,000 and 35,000 of their respective vehicles for free. So, what are you waiting for?

Source: The Star...Rear seat belt offenders face harsher penalty from July