This Design Hack Turns Every Commercial Vehicle Into a Reminder to Wear Seatbelts

In India, reports suggest that only 25% of motorists fasten their seatbelt, and as a result, 83% of casualties among car occupants are due to not wearing a seatbelt. This is despite many traditional media campaigns driving the importance of wearing them.

January is observed as Road Safety Awareness Month which kicks off the year with an ongoing campaign dedicated to educating citizens about the importance of safe driving practices. To amplify this message in a disruptive way, the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Department (MMVD) has devised an innovative reminder to encourage seatbelt usage.

MMVD has leveraged the mandatory reflective tape on commercial vehicles to create a powerful reminder. By incorporating buckle-shaped stickers into the reflective tape, every commercial vehicle on the road now serves as a visual cue to buckle up.

This simple creative improvisation, called ‘The Buckle Hack’ transforms a standard safety feature in commercial vehicles into a dynamic awareness tool, promoting responsible driving habits and saving lives.

The campaign was launched in the last week of January and will continue across various cities in the state of Maharashtra, including Mumbai. Through this pioneering effort, MMVD aims to significantly impact road safety, inspiring citizens to adopt safe driving practices and reducing the risk of casualties.

Speaking about the idea, Mr. Bharat Kalaskar, additional commissioner, Motor Vehicles Dept., Govt. of Maharashtra, said, “People often forget to buckle up, and that is a big cause of casualties and fatalities. This is an all-important reminder of the importance of seat belts for our safety, and we want this initiative to reach every driver in the State of Maharashtra.”