Nitin Gadkari recounts four CMs' stories on car seat belts

New Delhi, Sep 6 (IANS) Union Road Transport and Highway Ministers suggested that the people need to change the mindset for improvement in road safety in the country. The Union Minister referred to a few chief ministers claiming that they avoided wearing seat belts while travelling in cars.

"Forget common people's cars. I had travelled with four chief ministers in their cars -- don't ask me the names. I was in the front seat and found that there was a clip so that it does not make any sound when there is no belt. I asked the drivers where the belts were and made sure that I wear the seat belt before the car started," the Minister said. "Now I have banned the manufacturing and sales of such clips."

On the need for back seat belts the minister said that people think that passengers sitting on the back seats don't need belts. It is the problem. I don't want to make any comments on any accident. But both front-seaters and back-seaters need to wear seat belts, he said.

The Union Minister Nitin Gadkari was speaking at the IAA's Global Summit - Nations As Brands on Monday.

Gadkari said that the ministry is working towards making six airbags compulsory in all cars. "The same manufacturers put 6 airbags when they export those cars. Then why do you put only 4 airbags in Indian cars? Don't our lives have any values? An airbag costs only Rs 900 and when the number increases, the cost will only come down," Gadkari added.

Talking about Sunday's accident, Gadkari said that Cyrus Mistry was a "very good friend", and the accident was "very unfortunate and a great shock to the country". The Minister also talked about the Ahmedabad-Mumbai highway terming it a dangerous one.