Seat Belt Law and Road Traffic Injuries in Delhi, India

Abstract

Road traffic injuries have become a serious health burden all over the world in general and in cities of low and middle-income countries in particular. Delhi, the capital city of India, records the highest number of road traffic fatalities of all cities in India. This study evaluates the effectiveness of the mandatory seatbelt law enacted in Delhi in 2002 in terms of observance of the law and estimated reduction in fatalities due to road traffic crashes. Seat belt use was monitored by road side observations at one location in 2001one year before the compulsory use law. Road side observations on belt use were taken every year in March/April for the period 2002-2005 after the notification of the compulsory use law. Seat belt use by front seat passengers averaged 72% for the four years 2002-2005 (drivers 79%, passengers 58%). Belt use by front seat by passengers was about 25% lower than that by drivers in all the years. Since car occupants comprise only 2%-3% of the fatalities in Delhi, the belt law may have resulted in an overall fatality reduction of less than 1%, an estimated 11-15 lives per year.