To begin with, the primary seat belt law allows police officers to pull over a driver and write them a ticket if they or another occupant in the vehicle are not wearing a seat belt. This can be unaccompanied by any other traffic violation first having occurred.
Secondary seat belt laws differ slightly from primary seat belt laws. Secondary seat belt laws mandate that a police officer must first note another traffic law being violated before pulling over a vehicle and writing a ticket for failed seat belt use.
Different states have variable laws. For example, Vermont only has a secondary seat belt law for adult drivers and occupants. However, anyone under the age of 18 fits under the primary seat belt law. Any offenders of the law must pay a $25 fee for a first time violation. The stakes are higher for subsequent offenses. In the state of New York, all front seat occupants and drivers, as well as anyone aged 16 or under, are held accountable to the primary seat belt law. A $50 fee is required of any first time offenders.
As of now, there is only one state in the nation that has neither a primary or secondary seat belt law in place for adults. That state is New Hampshire. Also, New Hampshire has no primary seat belt law for drivers that are aged 18 or younger.
Whatever seat belt laws your state has, it is important to wear your seat belt at all times to ensure your safety while driving. To make buckling in more fun, you can always get custom seat belt webbing at the company Safety Restore. Custom seat belt webbing will turn your standard gray, black, brown, or tan seat belts into exciting new shades like Ferrari Red or Cobalt Blue! Custom seat belt webbing is a fun way to upgrade your seat belts, without compromising your safety!
