No more dummy buckles
PETALING JAYA : The import of dummy seat belt buckles and latch plates used to mute warning beepers will be outlawed from Dec 31 in a new regulation aimed at improving road safety.
The federal gazette issued on June 24 under subsection 31(1) of the Customs Act 1967 [Act 235] states that 'a dummy buckle, seat-belt alarm stopper, seat-belt clip extender or any other similar accessory or device intended to be inserted into a seat-belt buckle to disable or bypass the safety reminder and rendering the seat-belt mechanism inoperative' are prohibited from import from all countries.
The Transport Ministry had mulled the ban in February after the Road Transport Department had raised the alarm on a trend of using the device after inspections found it fitted in the vehicles of a third of motorists.
Used to prevent car sensors from beeping when drivers and passengers do not buckle up, the veiled dangers of the device has been well-studied.
According to research by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) Vehicle Safety and Biomechanics Centre, the use of dummy seat belt buckles has contributed to several fatal road accidents, significantly increasing the risk of serious injury or death due to the absence of a functioning seat belt, even if airbags deploy correctly during a crash.
The findings showed that this is because airbags and seat belts are designed to function together where seat belts restrain the body during a collision while airbags provide additional cushioning to minimise the injuries from impact with a vehicle dashboard or steering wheel.
In a crash test conducted by Miros at a speed of 56kph showed that a dummy buckle installed in the rear passenger seat of a vehicle had detached and caused severe injuries to both rear and front passengers during the simulation.
A survey by Miros also revealed that 12.9% of 326 respondents admitted to using dummy buckles, prompting the institute to call for regulatory action to prohibit both the sale and use of dummy buckles in Malaysia.
The devices sold openly in physical shops and online merchant platforms come in two variations of either a dummy seat belt buck or simple latch plate prices between RM1.50 and RM8.
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The Star
2 days ago
- The Star
No more dummy buckles
Road safety boost: According to research by Miros, the use of dummy seat belt buckles significantly increases the risk of serious injury or death due to the absence of a functioning seat belt, even if airbags deploy correctly during a crash. — AZMAN GHANI/The Star PETALING JAYA : The import of dummy seat belt buckles and latch plates used to mute warning beepers will be outlawed from Dec 31 in a new regulation aimed at improving road safety. The federal gazette issued on June 24 under subsection 31(1) of the Customs Act 1967 [Act 235] states that 'a dummy buckle, seat-belt alarm stopper, seat-belt clip extender or any other similar accessory or device intended to be inserted into a seat-belt buckle to disable or bypass the safety reminder and rendering the seat-belt mechanism inoperative' are prohibited from import from all countries. The Transport Ministry had mulled the ban in February after the Road Transport Department had raised the alarm on a trend of using the device after inspections found it fitted in the vehicles of a third of motorists. Used to prevent car sensors from beeping when drivers and passengers do not buckle up, the veiled dangers of the device has been well-studied. According to research by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) Vehicle Safety and Biomechanics Centre, the use of dummy seat belt buckles has contributed to several fatal road accidents, significantly increasing the risk of serious injury or death due to the absence of a functioning seat belt, even if airbags deploy correctly during a crash. The findings showed that this is because airbags and seat belts are designed to function together where seat belts restrain the body during a collision while airbags provide additional cushioning to minimise the injuries from impact with a vehicle dashboard or steering wheel. In a crash test conducted by Miros at a speed of 56kph showed that a dummy buckle installed in the rear passenger seat of a vehicle had detached and caused severe injuries to both rear and front passengers during the simulation. A survey by Miros also revealed that 12.9% of 326 respondents admitted to using dummy buckles, prompting the institute to call for regulatory action to prohibit both the sale and use of dummy buckles in Malaysia. The devices sold openly in physical shops and online merchant platforms come in two variations of either a dummy seat belt buck or simple latch plate prices between RM1.50 and RM8.
The Star
2 days ago
- The Star
Time to enforce rear seat belt law
PETALING JAYA: For 16 years, a law requiring back seat passengers to wear seat belts has existed, but enforcement has been weak and many passengers remain complacent. As the Transport Ministry ramps up enforcement on various road safety issues, experts say it's time the law is taken seriously to protect lives. The use of rear seat belts was mandated under the Motor Vehicles (Seatbelt) Rules 2008, with enforcement initially scheduled to begin in 2013, following a period of public advocacy. Road Safety Council of Malaysia executive council member Datuk Suret Singh said enough time has passed since the law's introduction. 'The advocacy period was only one or two years. The use of the rear seat belt needs to be enforced as there is clear complacency now. During the early promotion campaigns, before enforcement even began, rear seat belt usage was already at 45-47%. 'We were making great progress. But now, I believe usage has dropped to just 10-15%,' said the former Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) chairman. Miros chairman Prof Dr Wong Shaw Voon said many rear passengers mistakenly believe they don't need to use seat belts due to cushioning from the front seat. 'This is a myth. The seats are not designed to absorb that sort of impact to save your life. 'It is the seat belt that is designed to do so. Do not expect the front seat to minimise the impact,' he said, adding that wearing a rear seat belt can reduce the risk of fatality by 25-45%. He also warned that unbelted rear passengers endanger others in the vehicle. 'If the rear passengers do not wear their seat belt during a crash, they can be thrown forward, pushing the front seat and increasing risk to the front passenger and driver,' he said. Assoc Prof Dr Law Teik Hua, head of the Road Safety Research Centre at Universiti Putra Malaysia's Engineering Faculty, said the ban on dummy seat belt buckles and the requirement for all buses to have seat belts is an encouraging step towards improving safety measures on the roads. However, he said it is just as important to reconsider the enforcement of rear seat belt usage in private vehicles. 'Enforcement and public compliance are far from satisfactory despite mandatory usage. Many rear passengers do not bother to wear seat belts due to a combination of laziness, ignorance or lack of enforcement. 'We need to shift our attention from legislation towards actual implementation. Strong enforcement along with unrelenting public awareness campaigns is essential,' said Prof Law. He also agreed that wearing seat belts reduced the chances of injury or death and that unbuckled rear passengers could endanger others too during a collision. According to the Motor Vehicles Rules (Seatbelt) regulation, vehicle drivers and passengers who do not use a seat belt (front or rear) can be fined up to RM2,000 or jailed for one year or both.
Malay Mail
4 days ago
- Malay Mail
All-new Proton X50 delivers refreshing updates with sleek exterior, advanced tech, and improved comfort in 2026 refresh
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The songket-inspired front grille – it is always good to see Proton continues to insert Malaysian elements into its products. — SoyaCincau pic 2026 Proton X50 interior: A pleasant surprise To my surprise (and joy), the interior of the all-new Proton X50 is different from Geely Binyou L and Binyou Cool. When I first saw it, I immediately thought to myself: 'Did Geely just let Proton have free rein on this car's interior?' I'm quite fond of the Proton 7 dashboard and centre console design, so I'm certainly quite delighted to see that minimalist design language has made its way to the all-new Proton X50. Moving the drive shifter from the centre console to the steering column is an interesting decision by Proton as well. Not only that it help free up some space on the centre console, but it also completes the look. On a related note, the semi-transparent sun visors for the driver and front passenger are quite a cool addition to the SUV. Too bad that it is limited to the Flagship variant. 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