Penalty for not using a seat belt in the backseat: Nitin Gadkari

The decision was made in response to the recent passing of business magnate Cyrus Mistry in a fatal auto accident while travelling to Mumbai.

Nitin Gadkari, the Minister of Road Transport & Highways, declared on September 6 at a gathering that drivers will be fined for having passengers in the back seats of their vehicles who are not buckled up.

The decision was made in response to the recent passing of business magnate Cyrus Mistry in a fatal auto accident while travelling to Mumbai. According to reports, Mistry was not buckled up while riding in the back seats. If he had buckled up, his life could have been saved.

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Gadkari stated that the government will issue a statement outlining the consequences of a passenger not using a seatbelt in the following three days. “We have revised the rule to cover back seat passengers as well,” he said. “Previously, there was a penalty for not wearing a seatbelt for the driver and co-passenger only.”

The minister added that the idea is already being discussed with a number of auto manufacturers and that a beeper for not fastening a seatbelt will sound for those in the back seats as well. All new vehicles must have this function, regardless of price.