Policeto adopt amiable approach in seat belt drive<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Police have been instructed to give out warnings
\nto motorists not using seat belts in the lead-up to and after a
\nseat belt regulation comes into effect in the capital on Sept.
\n17, a high-ranking official said on Monday.<\/p>\n
\"We have to be sensitive about the current situation. We urge
\npeople to use safety belts for their own sake. The most important
\nthing is to introduce the idea of wearing the device,\" city
\npolice chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman said.<\/p>\n
\"Therefore, we will not fine motorists who fail to abide by
\nthe regulation (even after the regulation becomes enforceable).
\nWe will only remind them and give them warnings,\" he said during
\na special event promoting the use of seat belts held at the Hotel
\nIndonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
According to Noegroho, the campaign was intended mainly to
\nhelp build public awareness ahead of the Sept. 17 imposition
\ndate, when all drivers and front seat passengers will be obliged
\nto wear safety belts.<\/p>\n
According to Article 23 of Law No. 14\/1992, motorists failing
\nto wear seat belts face a maximum one-month jail sentence or a Rp
\n1 million (US$86) fine.<\/p>\n
However, the chief said the rule would only come into effect
\non Sept. 17, as stipulated in Government Regulation No. 43\/1993.<\/p>\n
\"We understand that motorists who must equip their cars with
\nsafety belts will face extra costs, which is difficult during
\nthis time of economic crisis.<\/p>\n
\"Therefore, our campaign will give people a chance to prepare
\ntheir vehicles with safety belts,\" Noegroho said.<\/p>\n
During Monday's event, police officers along with 60 reporters
\ndistributed 5,000 yellow stickers reading: \"For Your Own Safety,
\nUse Your Seat Belt\".<\/p>\n
Persuasive<\/p>\n
City police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said Monday that
\npromoting the use of seat belts in a persuasive way did not mean
\nthat police would be half-heartedly upholding the rules.<\/p>\n
\"Police, as law officers, will be flexible in imposing, for
\ninstance, a sanction based on a certain situation.<\/p>\n
\"For instance, we'll remind a person whose car is not equipped
\nwith seat belts. But an officer may give out a ticket to another
\nmotorist who is not wearing a seat belt even though the car is
\nequipped with them,\" Aritonang explained.<\/p>\n
Ministry of Communications spokesman Bambang S. Erlan said
\nrecently that owners of vehicles made before 1993, many of which
\nare not equipped with safety belts, would be given two years to
\nequip their cars with the devices.<\/p>\n
Such vehicles will be given stickers that read \"Seat Belt
\nFree\", Bambang said, as quoted by Antara.<\/p>\n
Many motorists, especially public transportation drivers,
\nvoiced opposition to the regulation.<\/p>\n
Togar Tampubolon, a mikrolet (public van) driver said that he
\ndid not have enough money to buy seat belts.<\/p>\n
\"It's already hard to meet the daily rental fee nowadays, let
\nalone to buy safety belts. The owner of my mikrolet doesn't care
\nenough about supplying us with that kind of device.\"<\/p>\n
Rasyid, a bus driver, expressed confusion over the new rule.<\/p>\n
\"Well, with or without seat belts we already get many tickets.
\nSo it's up to the bus company then. I certainly can't afford to
\nbuy one.\"<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, vendors of car accessories have said that they have
\nenough seat belts in stock but that they were not too hopeful
\nthat sales would pick up significantly.<\/p>\n
Affan, a car accessories vendor in Senen market in Central
\nJakarta, said five to 10 people bought seat belts at his store
\nper day.<\/p>\n
\"We have enough in stock here because we actually prepared for
\nthis back in 1992 (when the regulation was made). But I don't
\nthink there will be a sales boom during the crisis,\" he said.<\/p>\n
A manual seat belt costs between Rp 50,000 and Rp 75,000 each,
\nwhile an automatic seat belt costs from Rp 300,000 to Rp 400,000
\neach.<\/p>\n
\"Automatic seat belts are expensive because we have to import
\nthem from Hong Kong and South Korea,\" said Budi Salim, one of the
\nvendors in Sawah Besar, West Jakarta. (edt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/policeto-adopt-amiable-approach-in-seat-belt-drive-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}