When Did Wearing a Seatbelt Become a Law?
Seatbelts are lifesaving items for drivers all over the world. Many people did not use to wear their seatbelts before and this resulted in a lot of car accidents in places where cars are used. It was however discovered that wearing a seatbelt reduces the risks and damages to humans during a car crash. The seatbelt was tested and then car companies began to install the 3-point seatbelts in cars. It then became mandatory to Wearing a Seatbelt became a law and the number of fatalities in an accident reduced drastically. In 1968 the first seatbelt regulation came into effect.
Seatbelt Laws in States in the United States of America
Yes, the seatbelt laws came into effect on the 1st of January, 1968, and car manufacturing companies had to have seatbelts installed for drivers. However, the laws weren’t completely implemented. State governments in the United States had to enforce these laws in their states on their residents, and this happened differently in the different states. They all did not enforce the seatbelt laws at the same time. The state government enforced its laws in different years.
Hampshire is the only state in the United States of America that does not have seatbelt laws for adults. However, children below the age of 18 years are required to.
Seatbelt Offenses in the United States
Drivers and their passengers are advised to put on their seatbelts while driving. This is to avoid fatal accidents. However, a few non-abiding drivers or motorists still prefer to defy the law. There however are penalties for individuals that choose this path of defiance. These offenses and penalties defer from state to state.
There are primary offenses and the secondary offenses
1. Primary Offense
Primary offense allows police officers to ask drivers to pull up and issue if they are not wearing their safety seatbelts.
2. Secondary Offense
For the secondary offense, police officers are not allowed to stop drivers because they are not wearing their seatbelts. However, if a driver is pulled up for another offense or violation and he or she is not wearing a safety belt then they would be given a ticket for this offense.
Conclusion
It is important to obey these laws at all times. It just takes one mistake or one unfortunate incident for a crash or collision to occur. It does not have to be the fault of the driver for an accident to take place. In the event of an accident, no person wants to be caught without being safeguarded. Individuals should obey these laws not just for their safety, but for the safety of their families.
What State Has Secondary Offense Seatbelt Laws?
Arizona. ColoradoIdahoMassachusettsMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNorth DakotaOhioPennsylvaniaSouth DakotaUtahVermontVirginiaWyoming
What State Has the Highest Ticket Fee For Not Wearing A Seatbelt?
For Primary Offense: Connecticut
Individuals above 18 years – $92Individuals below 18 years – $120
For Secondary Offense: Missouri
Driver – $50Passenger – $10