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- The belt will be given: the sale of dangerous car accessories may be banned in the Russian Federation
The belt will be given: the sale of dangerous car accessories may be banned in the Russian Federation
Russia may ban the sale of plugs for car seat belts, as well as various overlays and adapters for them. At the end of last year, Russians spent more than 84 million roubles on the purchase of such devices on marketplaces alone. Simultaneously with the ban on the sale of these car accessories, the State Duma plans to significantly increase the fine for unbuckled seat belts. Experts and lawyers ambiguously relate to these initiatives. Details - in the material "Izvestia".
Do not muffle!
In Russia may prohibit the sale of plugs for seat belts in the car, as well as various overlays and adapters for them. The corresponding bill was developed by deputies of the party "Just Russia - For Truth" (SRZP) together with the National Automobile Union (the text of the document is at the disposal of the editors). In the near future it will be submitted to Parliament. The amendments provide for a new article 26.3 in the Consumer Rights Protection Act, which introduces a direct ban on the sale of such accessories.
"It is prohibited to sell devices and devices that limit, change, imitate the operation of vehicle seat belts, child restraints, as well as used to disable signals informing drivers and passengers about unfastened seat belts", - stated in the text of the bill.
In the explanatory note to the document it is noted that the key factor influencing the reduction of mortality as a result of road accidents, are systems of passive and active safety of cars and the basic tool here are seat belts. At the same time, there is a wide range of special plugs for seat belts on marketplaces, as well as in chain supermarkets, auto parts stores and other retail outlets, which allow drivers and passengers to disable systems that remind them of the need to use belts.
- Today, these plugs are actively sold online and in auto stores, for every taste and wallet. People buy them and then get into accidents, die or are treated for years for the consequences of the accident. And it is well known from the results of crash tests that unbuckled passengers have the highest probability of serious injuries, often incompatible with life," Sergei Mironov, one of the authors of the bill and leader of the SRZP, told Izvestia.
According to him, the problem is very serious. Therefore, the SRZP insists on the introduction of a ban on the sale of any goods, devices and appliances that reduce the safety of car drivers and passengers.
Millions for plugs
The parliamentarian's words are confirmed by the data provided by the Moneyplace service (part of the Kontur ecosystem) on the number of seatbelt plugs sold in Russia. At the end of last year, Russians bought 291.6 thousand of such devices for a total amount of more than 84.5 million rubles only on the trading platforms of two marketplaces popular in our country. At the same time, compared to 2023, there is a noticeable increase in demand. The year before last, just over 195 thousand seatbelt plugs were purchased on marketplaces, for which Russians paid 57.2 million rubles. Thus, over the year, sales of such devices increased by a third.
Wildberries told Izvestia that the company blocks the cards of such goods when they are detected on the platform.
- Our specialists constantly monitor the storefront for the presence of prohibited goods on the platform and block such cards if they are detected. A special algorithm allows us to identify such goods by description and photos of cards and immediately hide them from the showcase. At the same time, the offer with sellers also contains a ban on the sale of surrogates of restraint devices, - said the press service of the marketplace.
Meanwhile, according to the Moneyplace service, the number of sellers of such accessories has grown by almost a quarter over the year - from 483 to 622 offers. The average check for the year has remained virtually unchanged and is equal to about 300 rubles.
Stricter punishment
Another bill, also prepared by the deputies of the SRZP, provides for stricter liability for unbuckled seat belt. The prepared amendments to the Administrative Code (the text of the document is also at the disposal of "Izvestia") suggest increasing the fine for this violation from the current 1.5 thousand rubles to 3 thousand rubles.
- Since the beginning of this year, penalties for not wearing a belt or motorcycle helmet have increased from 1 thousand to 1.5 thousand rubles, but the situation on the roads and information about the severe consequences of accidents indicate the need to increase the fine," said Sergei Mironov.
As an example, he cited the statistics of 2023, according to which every fifth driver or passenger killed in an accident was not wearing a seat belt, and in 39 regions the number of fatalities increased for this reason. In addition, more than a quarter of the victims were not wearing seat belts, because of which they suffered very serious injuries, the parliamentarian said.
Dangerous misconceptions
Seat belt plugs, as well as various overlays and adapters, actually provoke drivers and passengers to violate traffic rules, said Valery Soldunov, a member of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation, chairman of the All-Russian Society of Motorists. In his opinion, their free sale is unacceptable.
- It is obvious that these accessories have an extremely negative impact on the accident rate. A ban on their sale is quite justified," he believes.
Igor Morzharetto, a member of the Presidium of the Public Council under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, also believes that such "devices" should be banned. The sale of various overlays on seat belts, "kerchiefs-triangles", restraints and other similar devices, which unscrupulous sellers offer under the guise of supposedly "child restraints", should also be banned.
- It has been repeatedly proved that such alleged "devices" cannot ensure the safety of a child in a car. However, parents often buy them and use them when transporting their children, sincerely believing that they provide protection for the child. This is a terrible misconception: to avoid the temptation to buy such useless and even dangerous devices, their sale should also be banned," Igor Morzharetto told Izvestia.
The paradox of the situation is that very often such devices are sold alongside the accessories a motorist needs, said Maxim Kadakov, editor-in-chief of Za Rulem magazine.
- Go to the car department of any large supermarket: plugs for seat belts are sold next to first aid kits, retroreflective vests, fire extinguishers. Seeing such a neighborhood, a person subconsciously does not realize the hidden threat of such "accessories"," he stressed.
It is especially tragic that plugs can often be found in the showcases of official dealers, Maxim Kadakov believes. It turns out that automakers are trying their best to improve the safety of cars, but at the same time, sellers offering plugs for belts, in fact, cross out their efforts, says the head of "Za Rulem".
A controversial issue
While the experts interviewed by Izvestia are unanimous with regard to the ban on the sale of seatbelt plugs, the experts are ambivalent about the proposal to increase the fine for unfastened seatbelts.
- Repressive measures are usually short-term and ineffective. However, in this case, an increase in the fine is probably justified. The prospect of severe punishment may still make some people buckle up," Valery Soldunov believes.
Maxim Kadakov believes that the punishment for this offense could well be toughened. But before making such a decision, some time is still needed to understand whether the recent increased fines have worked, he emphasized.
- Only a month and a half has passed since the new fines for a number of traffic violations came into force. This is too short to understand what effect these fines have had. It is necessary to collect and analyze law enforcement practice. Now the proposal for another increase in liability seems premature to me," the editor-in-chief of "Za Rulem" told "Izvestia".
Sergei Radko, lawyer of the Freedom of Choice movement, also considers the idea of raising fines untimely. In addition, now that cameras have begun to record unfastened seat belts, the risk of various errors has increased, he notes.
- In some situations, the camera is simply unable to recognize that a person is buckled up. For example, if the car's seat belts are light-colored, the equipment may not notice the contrast if the driver or passenger is also wearing light-colored clothes. As practice shows, it is not easy to appeal against such fines," said Sergey Radko.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
