New law to require all passengers to belt up

All passengers will be required to wear seat belts at all times while riding in a car from next year, police said Wednesday.

The National Police Agency plans to present an amendment to the Road Traffic Act later this year to make it compulsory for all front-seat and backseat passengers to wear a seat belt while traveling on every road in Korea, it said.

Under current traffic laws, only drivers and front seat passengers must wear a seat belt on general roads in the city, though all passengers are required to buckle up on expressways.

The amendment comes as part of efforts to prevent unnecessary deaths and serious injuries on the roads, the police said.

According to Korea Express Corporation, those who do not wear seat belts face a 1.45 percent chance of being killed in a traffic accident, compared to a 0.39 percent chance for those who are belted.

A survey suggests that Koreans generally ignore the advice to buckle up, with only 22 percent of passengers in the back seat using the safety restraint, significantly lower than other countries like Germany at 97 percent, the United Kingdom at 89 percent and Japan at 61 percent.

The police will submit the bill to parliament by October, with an aim to enforce the regulation starting from next year.

At present, Koreans face a fine of 30,000 won ($26) for not wearing a seat belt when necessary

By Ock Hyun-ju (laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com)