Seat belt fines not enough to change bad habits, experts say

Transportation experts say softer but more persuasive measures, rather than harsh fines, will encourage drivers to use their seat belts.

The Beijing Traffic Management Bureau announced on Monday it will impose fines of 50 yuan ($8) for drivers and 20 yuan for passengers who do not use their seat belts. Drivers who don't buckle up on highways and freeways will also receive a two-point deduction on their annual 12-point driving record.

This is the traffic authority's third crackdown on seat belt use since 2006 to combat a high death rate on roads.

According to the traffic regulation authority, an average of 6.2 people died for every 10,000 car accidents in China in 2013, at least four times the equivalent rate in developed countries.

Experts have attributed the high rate largely to drivers and passengers neglecting to use their seat belts, but they stressed that fines are not the solution.

"Yes, the habit of driving without wearing a seat belt has a lot to do with the high death rate in crashes in China. But while issuing punishments might work as a deterrence for violators, it's not an ideal solution in the long term," said Zhang Zhuting, a professor at the Ministry of Transport's Management College.

"What's more important is increasing public awareness about safe driving, which can't be done by just imposing penalties. Education and promotional campaigns about safe driving should be implemented."

Zhang said governments and traffic departments should highlight safe driving methods and the consequences of not using a seat belt in commercials and advertisements.

Still, he said fines are also necessary because China hasn't developed into an "auto society", Zhang said.

Wang Wenhui, a taxi driver for Beijing Yinjian Car Rental Co, said appropriate punishments and rewards are vital to improving drivers' attitudes.

"It will take a long time for people to change their behavior," he said. "A 50 yuan fine won't be strong enough to curb the bad habit of not using a seat belt. Authorities that have achieved reductions in drunken driving, for instance, have shown that only penalties yield quick results."

Some drivers, to prevent their vehicles from sounding an alarm when the seat belt is not buckled in, use a special bolt to block the buckle.

"It's inconvenient and unnecessary to use the seat belt when driving within urban areas at low speeds," said Han Liyuan, a saleswoman who lives in Beijing.

sunxiaochen@chinadaily.com.cn