Wear seat belts for safety, Not fear: Malagamuwa

Colombo, August 25 (Daily Mirror) - International racing champion Dilantha Malagamuwa has urged Sri Lankan motorists to view seat belts as a safeguard for their lives rather than merely a legal requirement.

Speaking at the National Road Safety Program held today (25) at the Kottawa Expressway Entrance, Malagamuwa noted that most local drivers fasten seat belts out of fear of traffic police and penalties, whereas in many foreign countries motorists wear them for personal protection and the safety of their loved ones.

Highlighting the urgent need for awareness, he revealed that nearly 3,000 people die annually in road accidents, many of them due to not wearing seat belts.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation announced that from September 1, wearing seat belts will be mandatory for passengers traveling on expressway buses as well as those seated in the rear seats of light vehicles.