SAFETY
BELT USE LAWS
State | Standard
enforcement? | Who
is covered? In what seats? | Maximum
fine 1st offense | Damages
reduced for nonuse? | Alabama | yes | 6+
yrs. in front seat | $25 | no | Alaska | no | 16+
yrs. in all seats | $15 | yes | Arizona | no | 5+
yrs. in front seat;5 through 15 in all seats (eff. 8/22/02) | $10 | yes | Arkansas | no | 15+
yrs. in front seat | $251,2 | no | California | yes | 16+
yrs. in all seats | $20 | yes | Colorado | no | 16+
yrs. in front seat | $15 | yes3 | Connecticut | yes | 4+
yrs. in front seat | $15 | no | Delaware | no | all
in front seat | $20 | no | District
of Columbia | yes | 16+
yrs. in all seats | $501 | no | Florida | no | 6+
yrs. in front seat; 6 through 17 yrs. in all seats | $30 | yes |
State | Standard
enforcement? | Who
is covered? In what seats? | Maximum
fine 1st offense | Damages
reduced for nonuse? | Georgia | yes | 5
through 17 yrs. in all seats; 18+ yrs. in front seat | $154 | no | Hawaii | yes | 4
through 17 yrs. in all seats; 18+ yrs. in front seat | $45 | no | Idaho | no | 4+
yrs. in front seat | $5 | no | Illinois | no | 6+
yrs. in front seat; all in all seats if driver is younger than
18 yrs. | $25 | no | Indiana | yes | 4
through 11 yrs. in all seats; 12+ yrs. in front seat | $25 | no | Iowa | yes | 6+
yrs. in front seat | $10 | yes3 | Kansas | no | 14+
yrs. in front seat | $10 | no | Kentucky | no
| more
than 40 in. in all seats | $25 | yes | Louisiana | yes | 13+
yrs. in front seat | $25 | no | Maine | no | 18+
yrs. in all seats (eff. 1/1/03) | $50 | no |
State | Standard
enforcement? | Who
is covered? In what seats? | Maximum
fine 1st offense | Damages
reduced for nonuse? | Maryland | yes | 16+
yrs. in front seat | $25 | no | Massachusetts | no | 12+
yrs. in all seats | $254 | no | Michigan | yes | 4+
yrs. in front seat; 4 through 15 yrs. in all seats | $25 | yes3 | Minnesota | no | all
in front seat; 3 through 10 yrs. in all seats | $25 | no | Mississippi | no
(yes for children <8) | 4
through 7 yrs. in all seats/8+ yrs. in front seat | $25 | no | Missouri | no
(yes for children <16) | 4+
yrs. in front seat; 4 through 15 yrs. in all seats | $10 | yes3 | Montana | no | 4+
yrs. in all seats | $20 | no | Nebraska | no | 16+
yrs. in front seat | $25 | yes3 | Nevada | no | 5+
yrs. in all seats | $25 | no | New
Hampshire | no
law | no
law | no
law | no |
State | Standard
enforcement? | Who
is covered? In what seats? | Maximum
fine 1st offense | Damages
reduced for nonuse? | New
Jersey | yes | 7
yrs. and younger and more than 80 lbs.; 8 through 17 in all seats;
18+ in front seat | $20 | yes | New
Mexico | yes | 18+
yrs. in all seats | $25 | no | New
York | yes | 16+
yrs. in front seat | $501 | yes | North
Carolina | yes | 16+
yrs. in front seat | $25 | no | North
Dakota | no | 18+
yrs. in front seat | $20 | yes | Ohio | no | 4+
yrs. in front seat | $25
driver/$15 passenger | yes | Oklahoma | yes | all
in front seat | $20 | no | Oregon | yes | 16+
yrs. in all seats | $75 | yes | Pennsylvania | no | 4+
yrs. in front seat | $10 | no | Rhode
Island | no
(yes for children <13) | 7+
yrs. in all seats | $50 | no |
State | Standard
enforcement? | Who
is covered? In what seats? | Maximum
fine 1st offense | Damages
reduced for nonuse? | South
Carolina | no
(yes for children <18 yrs.)5 | 6+
yrs. in front seat; 6+ yrs. in rear seat with shoulder belt | $10 | no | South
Dakota | no | 5+
yrs. in front seat | $20 | no | Tennessee | no | 4+
yrs. in front seat | $10 | no | Texas | yes | 4
through 16 yrs. in all seats; 17+ yrs. in front seat | $200 | no | Utah | no
(yes for children <19 yrs.) | 16+
yrs. in all seats | $45 | no | Vermont | no | 13+
yrs. in all seats | $10 | no | Virginia | no | 16+
yrs. in front seat | $25 | no | Washington | yes | all
in all seats | $35 | no | West
Virginia | no | 9+
yrs. in front seat; 9 through 17 yrs. in all seats | $25 | yes3 | Wisconsin | no | 4+
yrs. in front seat; 4 through 15 yrs. in rear seat with shoulder
belt | $10 | yes3 | Wyoming | no | 5+
yrs. in all seats |
$252
driver/$10 passenger
| no |
1These
states assess points for violations. For further details, please call
the Institute.
2Arkansas
and Wyoming reward belt use by reducing the fine for the primary violation
by $10.
3Under
the safety belt defense, Wisconsin allows a maximum 15 percent damage
reduction (in Missouri, a maximum 1 percent). In 3 states (Iowa, Michigan,
and Nebraska), the damage reduction may not exceed 5 percent. In Colorado,
damages may be reduced for pain and suffering only, not economic or
medical losses. In West Virginia, an award for medical expenses only
may be reduced by no more than 5 percent.
4In
Georgia, the maximum fine is $25 if the child is 5-18 yrs. Drivers in
Massachusetts may be fined $25 for violating the belt law themselves
and $25 for each unrestrained passenger 12-16 yrs.
5Police
are prohibited in South Carolina from enforcing safety belt laws at
checkpoints designed for that purpose. However, safety belt violations
may be issued at license and registration checkpoints..
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