The topic of the importance of using seat belts has been widely discussed. It has now become second nature to most people, drivers and passengers alike.
Here are some advantages of wearing a seatbelt:
1. Protects your passengers.
Wearing a seatbelt not only helps in keeping passengers safe during a car crash but also almost always during instances when the car overspeeds or suddenly halts.
2. Make airbags more effective
You might not be able to use your airbags if you are not wearing your seat belt because some car models use a sensor from the seatbelt to activate the airbags during a car crash.
3. Be Safe Legally
The Seat Belts Use Act of 1999 RA 8750 in the Philippines is “An Act Requiring the Mandatory Compliance by Motorists of Private and Public Vehicles to Use Seat Belt Devices, and Requiring Vehicle Manufacturers to Install Seat Belt Devices in all Their Manufactured Vehicles”.
What you need to know about the Seat Belt Act of 1999
RA 8750 came into effect in May 2000, requiring car manufacturers to implement seat belt facilities and allowing motorists and passengers, both in private and public cars, to use these devices properly.
For private vehicles
All passengers, including those in the front and back seats, are allowed to wear their seat belts at all times.
For public vehicles
Once boarding the vehicle, the driver must remind his front-seat passengers to wear their seat belts. Passengers who fail to wear seat belts will not be able to board the vehicle and resume their journey.
In the case of special public transit vehicles such as school buses or school services, the IRR requires drivers, front-seat occupants, and first-row passengers (those sitting behind the driver) to use and wear their respective seat belts at all times when inside the vehicle with an operating engine.
Children aged six and under are forbidden from sitting in the front seat of any moving car, even though they are wearing seat belts.
Type of Seat Belt Devices Required. — The seat belt devices required to be installed in all motor vehicles shall comply with the standards and specifications established by the Bureau of Product Standards of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in consultation with the LTO of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC): Provided, That the seat belt devices installed in imported second-hand motor vehicles shall conform to the standards and specifications of the Bureau of Product Standards for purposes of importation and registration.
Republic Act no. 8750: Penalty and Fines
The punishment in the Philippines for not wearing a seatbelt or failing to notify and compel their passengers to wear seat belts would be serious.
Conclusion
It is important to understand that wearing a seatbelt is more than just a legal requirement but more for you, your passengers’ safety, and the safety of all those who share the road with you.
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Drive safely!
