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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