California Seatbelt Laws
Seat belts are the most effective safety devices in vehicles.
While motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for Americans age 3-33 years old, wearing a seat belt can reduce the chance of death and serious injury by nearly 50 percent especially for front-seat passengers involved in traffic crashes.
There are mandatory safety belt laws in 49 states and the District of Columbia. However, seat belt laws in most States may contain either:
- Primary enforcement provisions - Law enforcement officers can stop a vehicle on the basis of observing a seat belt violation
- Secondary enforcement provisions - Officers may issue a ticket for not wearing a seat belt only when there is another citable traffic infraction.
California Seat Belt Laws
- The State of California has a primary enforcement of Seat Belt Laws.
- All people in the car, 16 years of age or over must wear seat belts.
- The driver and the passengers, who weigh 60 lbs. or more, must also wear seat belts.
- Seat belts must be worn while the vehicle is moving on public roads and on private property, such as public parking lots.
- Pregnant women should wear the lap belt as low as possible under the abdomen, and the shoulder strap should be placed between the breasts and to the side of the abdo¬men’s bulge.
- Any child under the age of six years and weighing less than 60 pounds, must be secured in a federally-approved child passenger restraint system and ride in the back seat of a vehicle.
- A fine, the maximum of which is $20 may be imposed for violations of the seat belt law.
- In California, the seat belt defense may be used. Damages collected by someone in a crash may be reduced for failure to use a belt. The reduction is permitted only for injuries caused by non-use of belts.
In 2007, California’s seat belt usage rate is up to 94.6% and this is the fourth best seat belt rate in the United States. Roughly, 365,750 more Californians buckling up every time they go out and drive.