The FIA Foundation has participated in a workshop on reducing injuries through use of seat belts and helmets in Delhi, India.
The workshop, held on January 8th 2005, was organised by the Indian Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE) with the support of the Indian Government, and brought together police and transport officials from across India to discuss strategies for improving use of motorcycle helmets and seat belts. The FIA Foundation’s Director General, David Ward, participated in the workshop, making a keynote address and presenting the FIA Foundation’s seat belt toolkit. The toolkit provides information and advice on campaigning, enforcing and legislating for seat belt use, and was supplemented at the conference by a handbook on Indian seat belt regulations and technical specifications produced by IRTE.
India’s Central Motor Vehicle Rules prescribe mandatory fitment and use of seat belts, but the law is not strictly or consistently enforced by police. The workshop aimed to educate and advise participants about the important safety role of seat belts, and to encourage greater awareness raising and enforcement of seat belt use. The workshop also discussed measures for increasing hlemt use amongst motorcycle users. Two wheel vehicles constitute almost 70% of motorised traffic in India and around 25,000 motorcycle riders are killed in road crashes each year. Many of these fatalities could be avoided with the protection afforded by a helmet, and the workshop discussed strategies for promoting awareness within State governments and educating road users about the benefits.