Kuala Lumpur: The rising trend of vehicle owners using the dummy buckle to eliminate the seat belt alarm and not wearing seat belts properly is worrying. Negeri Sembilan Road Transport Department (JPJ) director Hanif Yusabra Yusuf said the highest number of notices issued during the Special Chinese New Year Operation was for not wearing seat belts, with 195 offences recorded, of which over 30 per cent of them were found to be using the accessory, which resembles a real seat belt buckle.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Hanif Yusabra Yusuf highlighted that more than 30 per cent of drivers prefer to wear the dummy buckle to silence the sound of the seatbelt reminder, citing discomfort or forgetfulness as excuses. He emphasized that this is a significant offence as it poses a risk of severe injury or death in case of a road accident. The usage of this accessory is on the rise and requires immediate attention.

Hanif Yusabra also reported that JPJ officers, who went undercover by boarding 70 buses during the operation, observed an increased awareness of safety among bus drivers. However, some drivers were still found committing offences such as driving continuously on the right lane (31 cases), picking up and dropping off passengers at unauthorized stops (12 cases), lack of a second driver (10 cases), using mobile phones (three cases), smoking (two cases), and not maintaining a log book (four cases).

He noted that inspections and audits of bus service operations at terminals led to action being taken against 24 buses. A total of 38 notices were issued for non-compliance with the Road Transport Act (APJ) 1967, and 12 notices under the Land Public Transport Act (APAD) 2010. Hanif Yusabra observed an improvement in driver conduct, with fewer cases of smoking or phone usage while driving, though some rule violations persist.