Public indifferent about benefits of safety belts<\/p>\n
Tony Hotland, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Indifference and unawareness marked the first day of the
\nreintroduction of vehicle seat belt laws on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post observed many drivers failing to wear
\nseat belts, let alone police giving warnings.<\/p>\n
"What ruling? Isn't that the old one? I thought it had been
\nrevoked," said a driver, Teddi, 28. "I think it will just go away
\nlike the previous one."<\/p>\n
Yuki, 23, whose car is not equipped with seat belts, also
\nexpressed a similar response. "I didn't know we were obliged to
\nuse seat belts," he said.<\/p>\n
The city administration tried to implement the law in 1993 but
\ndue to poor preparations, the effort was dropped.<\/p>\n
The second effort in 1998 also failed because the public
\ncomplained they could not afford seat belts because of the
\neconomic crisis.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, some motorists did use seat belts. However, it
\nwas mostly because they were more concerned with getting tickets
\nthan safety.<\/p>\n
"I hardly use seat belts but I know about the new regulation.
\nThat's why I use it today. But many other drivers are not using
\ntheir seat belts and the policemen are not giving warnings or
\nanything," said Irna, 33.<\/p>\n
Hendri, 34, felt the same way. "I always use seat belts
\nbecause it's important. I know today is the first day of the
\nregulation but I haven't seen any police ticketing drivers not
\nusing seat belts," he said.<\/p>\n
Apparently, drivers were not the only ones who had no clue
\nabout the new ruling. The absence of police giving warnings might
\nhave been caused by the unawareness of the police themselves
\nabout the new regulation.<\/p>\n
"Wasn't that regulation issued a long time ago? But no drivers
\nare abiding by it. We don't really ticket them now for not using
\nseat belts," said a traffic police officer, refusing to be
\nidentified, who had no knowledge about the new ruling.<\/p>\n
The new implementation plan requires police would deploy more
\ntraffic officers and distribute brochures about the importance of
\nseat belts.<\/p>\n
For the first day of enforcement, police would concentrate
\ntheir campaign on Jl. Hayam Wuruk and Jl. Gadjah Mada, both in
\nNorth Jakarta, and Jl. Sudirman and Jl. MH Thamrin, both in
\nCentral Jakarta.<\/p>\n
However, drivers who were not using seat belts just drove
\nright past traffic officers at intersections of those streets.<\/p>\n
For the time being, police will not issue traffic tickets to
\nviolators but will only warn and record their driving licenses.
\nPolice are supposed to start ticketing traffic offenders in the
\nnext six months.<\/p>\n
The implementation of the seat belts regulation is the
\nconsequence of Decree No. 85\/2002 issued by the minister of
\ntransportation, which is the realization of Law No. 14\/1992 on
\ntraffic.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/public-indifferent-about-benefits-of-safety-belts-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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