PETALING JAYA: Believe it or not, there are still motorists who stubbornly refuse to wear seat belts when travelling, despite their obvious role as a safety precaution during vehicle crashes.
Automotive Accessories Traders Association of Malaysia president Cherrie Lim Bee Choo said some 3,000 dummy seat belt buckles are sold each year by her members.
“Motorists use them to avoid the (seat belt) alarm system from going off if the seat belt is not fastened.
“But there are safety issues when using dummy seat belt buckles. In case of a vehicle crash, if the seat belt is not fastened, the human body will collide with the rapidly inflating airbag.
“It will hit passengers with great force and cause serious injuries. The airbag then becomes a danger rather than a safety feature.”
Lim said many accessory shops sell dummy seat belt buckles as demand for them is high.
“These products have been in the market for at least 10 years, with most being imported from China. They are actively promoted on online shopping platforms.
“It is crucial for consumers to exercise caution and make informed decisions. We have advised accessory shops to educate their customers on the importance of seat belts since a surprising number of individuals do not fully comprehend the downside to not using them.”
Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) chairman Dr Wong Shaw Voon said since the seat belt alarm system was implemented in modern vehicles in 2012, people have come up with ways to bypass it, including purchasing dummy seat belt buckles.
“Why anyone would do this is beyond (comprehension). Wearing seat belts is a safety measure.”
Wong said a 2020 Miros survey of 326 motorists showed 39, or 12%, used dummy seat belt buckles.
“While we have not conducted a follow-up survey on the current usage of (such products), we are noticing increased usage by motorists in the past three years.
“Although it involves a small group of motorists, the matter is still worrying as it indicates they are ignoring safety measures.”
He said one reason motorists gave for using such buckles is that they travelled short distances and found the alarm “annoying”.
“Some also claimed they used it to stop the alarm as the seat belt was not functioning, but this is not a valid excuse.”
Wong said although using dummy seat belt buckles is illegal in Malaysia, no enforcement is being carried out to curb the sale and use of such accessories.
“Motorists can go to any hardware store or online shopping platforms to purchase them.”
A motorist, who only wanted to be known as Lew, said he often sees his group of friends using it.
“When my friends are in my car, they usually don’t use the seat belt. Dummy buckles remove the annoyance of the alarm.
“My friends suggested I use the accessory because seat belts are uncomfortable to wear all the time and as long as I drive safely, there should not be any problem.”
