The UAE needs to enforce new laws to make all car passengers fasten the seat belt to ensure their safety as using the belt has proved effective in lessening death rates, Dubai’s traffic police chief was reported on Tuesday as saying.

Major General Mohammed Al Zafin said existing federal laws force only the driver and the passenger in the front seat to fasten the seat belt while the car is moving.

But he said many of them are still violating such laws and that some drivers do so for what “trivial” reasons including that they do not want to spoilt their dress.

“It has become imperative for the UAE to enact a law forcing all passengers in the vehicle to fasten the seat belt given its role in protecting them in case of accidents or in case the driver suddenly uses the brakes,” Zafin told Emirat Alyoum daily.

He said thousands of drivers are still violating seat belt laws but that intensifying police patrols have sharply reduced such offences.

His figures showed seat belt offences slumped by around 23 per cent to 53,244 in the first 11 months of this year from 68,920 in the first 11 months of 2011.

“Some drivers justify their failure to fasten the seat belt to the fact that they do not want to spoil their clothes…this is a trivial reason and illustrates a serious lack of awareness and traffic education as they think that they are immune to accidents,” he said.

Zafin said it has been proved that fastening the seat belt could reduce deaths by nearly 45 per cent and slash serious injuries by 50 to 83 per cent in road mishaps.