3 Point Seat Belt For Middle Seat Passengers In India?

When shopping for a new car, people have started inclining towards vehicle safety lately. After more than 20 made in India cars tested at the Global NCAP facility, buying a car with a good rating has become the new norm. Moreover, the new BNVSAP (Bharat New Vehicle Safety Assessment Program) has also boosted the safety of new vehicles in India. BNVSAP includes dual airbags, ABS with EBD, seatbelts for all four passengers, and an anticipated six airbags as standard. Apart from that, recently, MoRTH has made making the 3 point seat belt for middle passengers mandatory.

Speaking of safety, these indeed play a vital role in saving the occupants in case of a mishappening. That said, one thing that is still missing from the BNVSAP norms is a 3 point seat belt for middle-seat passengers. Mostly, the middle passenger is neglected and gets a lap seatbelt. So 3-point seat belt or lap seat belt, what difference does it make?

Lap Seat Belt

Let’s get going with the lap seat belt first. Unlike a 3-point seat belt with pre-tensioners, a lap seat belt is deprived of this feature. This translates to a loose seat belt that is just dangling around.

• Moreover, as the chord is dangling, it sometimes does not provide ample safety in case of high-speed impact.
• Also, the lap seatbelt is attached along with two points. In other terms, the force of the impact will be distributed over two different places, which are okay to save, but may leave bruises on the lap.
• But one thing that works in favour of the lap seatbelt is its production cost, which is relatively lower when compared to 3 point seat belts.

3 Point Seat Belt

The more often use of a 3 point seat belt is at the front two seats and rear two sides of the seats. As said earlier, a 3 point seatbelt is rarely used for the middle seat passenger.

• A typical 3 point seat belt has a pre-tensioner that enables the belt to retract back and offers a snug fit offering better safety.
• Moving on, as the name says, this seatbelt has 3 points instead of 2. Meaning the force of the impact is distributed over one extra point compared to lap seat belts.
• But what about the cost? Yup, this one does cost more because it includes more parts in its assembly.

By not, it must be clear which one is better in safeguarding the occupants. But when it comes to vehicles, here are some that offer a 3 point seatbelt for the middle seat passenger.

1. Honda City
   

   

   Speaking of the 5th gen Honda City, it was launched in 2020 in India and came with a plethora of upgrades. But more so on the safety part as it has scored four start rating in the ASEAN NCAP. The model tested at the NCAP facility was not the one sold or manufactured in India. Nevertheless, this is the only C-segment sedan in India to offer a 3 point seat belt for middle-seat passengers.

2. MG Astor
   

   

   Astor, a Chinese-owned British carmaker, is the newest vehicle to feature on the list. And it is a delight to see new carmakers not compromise on the vehicle’s safety. Apart from level 2 ADAS features, the new MG Astor boasts a 3 point seat belt for the middle passenger.

3. Mahindra XUV300
   

   

   By far, XUV300 is among the well-engineered vehicle from the Indian carmaker Mahindra. Before Mahindra XUV700, Mahindra XUV300 was once the safest vehicle by the Global NCAP crash test. Sure it still retains five stars in the global NCAP; it’s just the bigger brother XUV700 which is even safer. That said, aiding a safe rating was a 3 point seat belt.

4. Skoda Kushaq
   

   

   Skoda was struggling until they brought the Kushaq to the Indian market. Kushaq offers a ton of features and does not compromise the vehicle’s performance. Also, it is safe to say that the new Skoda Kushaq is safe because it gets a plethora of safety features, including 3 point seat belt.

5. Volkswagen Taigun
   

   

   With Skoda, Volkswagen, too, brought their level up a couple of notches with their Taigun. Essentially under the skin, Skoda Kusha and Volkswagen Taigun both share the same DNA, including the powertrain and drivetrains. However, both are tuned in a slightly different way. Volkswagen Taigun also supports this type of seat belt for the middle passenger.

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