Is it mandatory to wear seat belts in the back seat on highways?
3 Answers
The back seat passengers must wear seat belts on highways. The function of seat belts is: in the event of a vehicle collision or when emergency braking is applied, the pre-tensioning device will instantly retract, tightening the slack seat belt, firmly securing the passenger to the seat to prevent secondary collisions. Precautions for driving on highways include: 1. The driver and front-seat passenger should fasten their seat belts, and the driver must not answer phone calls; 2. Avoid sudden steering wheel movements while driving at high speeds; 3. Do not change lanes arbitrarily while driving. When changing lanes or overtaking the vehicle ahead, the turn signal must be activated in advance; 4. When overtaking, only the adjacent lane may be used. After overtaking, immediately return to the driving lane. Vehicles must not straddle or drive on the lane dividing line; 5. Do not reverse, drive in the opposite direction, make U-turns or turns by crossing the central divider, conduct test drives or drive training vehicles, or overtake or park on ramps; 6. Maintain a following distance of more than 100 meters. When the speed is below 100 kilometers per hour, the distance from the vehicle ahead in the same lane can be appropriately reduced, but the minimum distance must not be less than 50 meters.
I used to think it was fine not to buckle up in the back seat, until one time at a toll station, traffic police were checking every car. I witnessed the rear passengers in the car ahead getting fined 50 yuan. The officer said that on highways, not wearing a seat belt—whether in the front or back—will result in a fine, and the driver will also get penalty points. It’s not just about the money—if an accident happens and rear passengers aren’t belted, the impact against the front seats can be three times their body weight, and they might even be ejected through the windshield. Nowadays, even children in the back seat must use a child safety seat, and the headrest height should be adjusted to align with their ears to prevent neck injuries.
Our family's habit on highways is that everyone wears seat belts, children are securely fastened in child safety seats, and even infants carried in arms have specialized carriers. In fact, the danger in the back seat is greater than imagined, especially during side collisions, where unbelted passengers can be thrown against the door. I've seen accident statistics showing that wearing seat belts in the back seat can reduce the risk of death by 75%. Additionally, a reminder for pregnant women: the lap belt should be positioned below the belly, and the shoulder belt should cross over the sternum. This ensures safety without putting pressure on the fetus.