Cyrus Mistry death: Why wearing Rear Seat Belt is IMPORTANT? Watch Video

Former Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry was killed in a horrific and unfortunate road accident on Sunday (September 4) after the car he was travelling in crashed into a divider. The Mercedes-Benz GLC SUV he was sitting in was driven by a doctor in the Maharashtra's Palghar district, as the vehicle with 4 occupants including Mistry, 54, was travelling from Ahmedabad to Mumbai. As per a preliminary probe by the police, Cyrus Mistry and Jahangir Pandole were seated in the back seat of the vehicle and were not wearing seat belts. Police said that over-speeding and the "error of judgement" by the driver caused the accident. Both Mistry and Jahangir died in the accident, while both front occupants, who were wearing seat belt survived the crash.

Why rear seat belt is important?

Passengers sitting on rear seats have nothing to hold them into their position in case of an accident if the seatbelt is not strapped in. A rear passenger not wearing seat belts, in case of an accident, is prone to hitting the front seat's backrest. This can lead to whiplash injury, often impacting vertebrae and cutting oxygen supply to the brain in many cases. In many cases, a rear passenger without belts can collide with the front seat, pushing the front passenger into the dashboard or deploying an airbag, posing a fatal risk. It has been seen that in a few cases, the rear passengers can even fly out of the windscreen or hit the dashboard or steering wheel.

A video by highly reputed Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) showcased what impact on the rear seat passengers in case of an accident. According to the institute, 90 percent of the people don't wear a safety belt across the globe, especially when travelling by taxi or ride-sharing service. Here's a video that highlights the importance of seat belts in the rear seat.

How safe are rear seat passengers?

An IIHS senior research engineer, Jessica Jermakian, stated that for most adults, riding in the back seat is far safer than at the front, if only they are buckled up. While people know the importance of wearing seat belt in the front seat, there's still a denial for buckling up at the rear. In the Indian context, lack of awareness and enforcement results in the people not wearing seat belt at the rear. 

In the event of a crash, a rear passenger without seat belt may be pushed forward with severe force and can cause injury or fatality to the front occupant as well. This phenomenon is clearly demonstrated by the crash test dummies in the video. If not wearing seat belt, a passenger will be prone to hit hard surfaces, even toss out of speeding car if the rear door opens leading to life regrettable injuries. 

*Note: We advise our readers to realise the importance of wearing seat belts at the back seat.