Tunisia Bans Fake Seatbelt Locks to Enhance Road Safety
It looks like a simple plastic piece, can be inserted into the belt loop in seconds, and instantly convinces the dashboard that everything is fine. However, behind this ordinary gesture lies a practice that has just been outlawed. The "fake seatbelt lock" - a low-cost accessory sold to silence the warning beep - is now formally prohibited in Tunisia.
A Collective Effort to Address a Growing Concern
The decision, jointly issued by five ministries - Commerce, Health, Interior, Transport, and Finance - reflects a collective awareness of a phenomenon that had become commonplace on Tunisian roads. The text goes far: it not only prohibits the sale and distribution of these devices but also their manufacture, importation, storage, and even free distribution.
A Small Object with Significant Risks
One might think it's just about avoiding an annoying beep. But the reality is more serious. By simulating seatbelt use, these fake locks deceive safety systems that, in many modern vehicles, are interconnected - including the deployment of airbags. In other words, a driver who thinks they are protected may find themselves, in the event of a crash, in a much more vulnerable situation than they imagined.
Strict Measures to Enforce the Ban
In light of this finding, the authorities have not opted for a half-measure. Existing stocks will be seized and destroyed at the suppliers' expense. Products already on the market must be withdrawn from distribution channels, again at the importers' and distributors' expense. Offenders will face sanctions under the consumer protection law.
Implementation of the Ban
The measure came into effect upon its publication in the Official Journal of the Tunisian Republic, last Friday.
