Safety Belts

Today, all 50 states and the District of Columbia have some form of safety belt law. The earliest laws were passed in the mid-1980s when the number of fatalities on the roads was rising. Research indicated that a significant number of those fatalities occurred when victims were thrown from the cars or thrown against a window or windshield.

In point of fact, seat belt laws are effective, and the laws that were passed and upheld made a difference. By keeping passengers in the car during a collision, seat belts continue to save lives. Seat belts are most effective when all passengers are buckled up, since unbuckled passengers pose a significant risk to those who are belted in.

Primary and Secondary Seat Belt Traffic Laws

Traffic laws related to the use of seat belts fall into two categories, and each of them includes penalties for failure to comply. In states where secondary seat belt laws are on the books, police officers may only ticket an offender if he or she stops the vehicle for another infraction such as speeding. States with primary seat belt laws, however, allow officers to stop a car after observing that one or more passengers is not wearing a seat belt.

Many states now also require children under a certain age or weight to be restrained in an approved child seat. In some of those states, the penalty for not complying with child seat/safety belt laws is higher than for other passengers. The good news is that seat belts can save lives. On the other hand, segments of the population, such as teenagers, tend to go without seat belts unless parents or other adults force them to wear them. Several states have now enacted "Click it or Ticket" laws and campaigns to increase compliance.