A large
number of deaths on road accidents every year have been a characteristic feature
of India. We need to find the political will to enforce stringent laws. A
fraction of these deaths are due to passengers in the back-seat not wearing
seat belts even when they travel on the high way. Every major city has a high
speed road going to the airport and tens of thousands of taxis ply on these roads
every day in every metro. A majority of these taxis seem to have seat belts
buried under the seats and inaccessible to the passengers. Many taxi operators
do not consider them necessary. Most taxi drivers say they cannot help you in
digging out seat belt.
Information
on deaths related to back seat passengers not wearing seat belts is widely
available, for instance in the following news items:
A simple
action can quickly reduce the number of road deaths due to this cause. We need
to enact a law that provides for taking a taxi off the road immediately, if it
does not have readily accessible seat belts in the back seats. Innocent lives,
including that of women and children, do not have to be lost because operators
of a lucrative business deny them the protection they need.
I request readers
to visit
and sign my
petition in this regard.
