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<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\nNew Delhi: <\/span>Seat-belt compliance among car occupants injured in road crashes has worsened sharply, with nearly seven in 10 passengers treated at AIIMS Trauma Centre in 2025-26 found to be travelling without seat belts at the time of the accident.Data from the Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre (JPNATC) show that 69% of injured car passengers in 2025-26 were not wearing seat belts, up from 46% in 2024-25. Among drivers, the proportion not using seat belts more than doubled from 19% to 40% over the same period.\u201cSeat belts remain the single most effective safety device in a car. In a collision, an unrestrained passenger can be thrown against the dashboard, seats or windows, or even ejected from the vehicle, leading to severe head, chest and spinal injuries. Rear-seat passengers are often less compliant, but face similar risks. Consistent seat-belt use can significantly reduce the risk of death and serious injury,\u201d said trauma centre chief Dr Kamran Farooque.The figures are based on an analysis of road traffic injury patients treated at one of the country\u2019s largest referral trauma centres. In 2025-26, the centre recorded 19,472 road accident cases, accounting for about one-third of all emergency registrations, compared with 18,637 cases in 2024-25.Two-wheeler riders accounted for 77% of all road traffic injury cases in 2025-26, followed by pedestrians at 17% and car occupants at 6%.Young adults were the most affected. Those aged 21-30 years accounted for 35% of accident victims, while those aged 31-40 years made up 23%. Nearly six in 10 patients treated for road traffic injuries were under 40.Injury severity also remained high. One in five accident victims required hospital admission in 2025-26, up from 16% the previous year. Of those admitted, 27% required intensive care and 23% underwent surgery.Orthopaedic and spinal injuries were the most common, accounting for 45% of cases, followed by neurotrauma involving the brain and spine at 27%. Trauma surgery cases, including chest, abdominal and vascular injuries, made up the remaining 28%.The trauma centre also received a significant number of patients from neighbouring states. Among referred patients, 35% were from Delhi, 33% from Uttar Pradesh<\/a> and 27% from Haryana<\/a>.The findings have raised concerns over poor compliance with seat-belt rules despite repeated road safety campaigns and stricter penalties.<\/div>\n