Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Strengthening Floorboards of Commercial Lorries for Installation of Seat Belts

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Transport 

a.     whether the Ministry has studied how floorboards of commercial lorries used to ferry workers can be strengthened for seat belts to be effective in the event of an accident similar to what is done for school buses; 

b.     so, what are the findings and whether such findings can be made public; and 

c.     if such a study has not been conducted, whether the Ministry will conduct such a study.

Reply by Minister for Transport S Iswaran:

1.     LTA has consulted the industry and academia on various proposals, including strengthening the floorboard of the lorries’ carriage deck for seat belts.

2.     The original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) shared that the retrofitting of seats, seat belts and reinforcements required for the floorboards may compromise the structural integrity of the lorry. In addition, the vehicle’s dynamics will be altered, and this can affect the lorry’s stability when turning. These create new safety risks. There are also liability issues as the OEMs do not support and vouch for the safety of such lorries retrofitted with seatbelts. These findings are consistent with those from the previous tripartite review in 2008 on lorry transportation that retrofitting seat belts in the rear decks of lorries could result in other safety risks.