Seat belt laws were first introduced in New York in 1984 and are now required to some extent in all US states. 25 states have primary offense laws, while others have secondary summons. Most states require passengers under 18 to wear a seat belt, but laws vary. Seat belt laws are based on statistics showing their effectiveness in saving lives. The federal government supports campaigns to promote seat belt use, such as “Click or Ticket”.
While vehicles have been equipped with seat belts for many years, seat belt laws have only been around since 1984, when the state of New York passed the first one. Today, wearing a seat belt is required by law to some extent throughout the United States. There are currently 25 states that have seat belt laws that make not wearing a seat belt a primary offense; which means that an officer can issue a citation for not wearing a seat belt regardless of whether another offense has been committed. In the remaining states, failure to tie may result in a secondary summons.
While seat belt laws vary by state, most every state requires passengers under the age of 18 to wear a seat belt. Some states may regulate the law with variations, such as adults traveling because rear seat passengers are not required to wear a seat belt. In all cases, seat belt laws are mandated and enforced by the state government.
Seat belt laws are based on statistics developed by safety organizations, primarily the National Highway Traffic Safety Association and departments of transportation. Statistics compiled by these organizations show that wearing a seat belt saves lives in the majority of impact collisions. While there is some evidence that wearing a seat belt in some types of crashes can lead to significant injury or death, there has been sufficient evidence that the benefit of wearing a seat belt far outweighs the risk. Thus, all-state proponents have actually created laws that mandate the wearing of seat belts in one way or another.
Although seat belt laws are mandated and enforced by the state government, the federal government has supported national campaigns to popularize the safety concept of seat belts, especially among young drivers. “Click or Ticket” is one such campaign that features radio and television public service announcements and signs posted along major highways that also highlight the fines associated with violating seat belt laws in that area.
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