Table 2-3. Key Provisions of Safety Belt Use Laws: 2000
Table 2-3. Key Provisions of Safety Belt Use Laws: 2000
| State | Effective1 | Enforcement2 | Fine | Seats | Vehicles exempted3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 7/18/1992 | Primary | $25 | Front | Designed for more than 10 passengers |
| Alaska | 9/12/1990 | Secondary | $15 | All | School bus |
| Arizona | 1/1/1991 | Secondary | $10 | Front | Designed for more than 10 passengers; model year before 1972 |
| Arkansas | 7/15/1991 | Secondary | $254 | Front | School bus, church bus, public bus |
| California | 1/1/1986 | Primary | $205 | All | None |
| Colorado | 7/1/1987 | Secondary | $15 | Front | Passenger bus, school bus |
| Connecticut | 1/1/1986 | Primary | $15 | Front | Truck or bus over 15,000 lbs. |
| Delaware | 1/1/1992 | Secondary | $20 | Front | None |
| District of Columbia | 12/12/1985 | Primary | $506 | All | Seating more than 8 people |
| Florida | 7/1/1986 | Secondary | $30 | Front | School bus, public bus, truck over 5,000 lbs. |
| Georgia | 9/1/1988 | Primary | $15 | Front | Designed for more than 10 passengers, pickup |
| Hawaii | 2/16/1985 | Primary | $45 | Front | Bus or school bus over 10,000 lbs. |
| Idaho | 7/1/1986 | Secondary | $5 | Front | Over 8,000 lbs. |
| Illinois | 7/1/1985 | Secondary | $25 | Front | None |
| Indiana | 7/1/1987 | Primary | $25 | Front | Truck, tractor, RV |
| Iowa | 7/1/1986 | Primary | $10 | Front | None |
| Kansas | 7/1/1986 | Secondary | $10 | Front | Designed for more than 10 people, truck over 12,000 lbs. |
| Kentucky | 7/13/1994 | Secondary | $25 | All | Designed for more than 10 people |
| Louisiana | 7/1/1986 | Primary | $257 | Front | Manufactured before 1/1/81 |
| Maine | 12/27/1995 | Secondary | $50 | All | None |
| Maryland | 7/1/1986 | Primary | $25 | Front | Historic vehicle |
| Massachusetts | 2/1/1994 | Secondary | $25 | All | Truck over 18,000 lbs., bus, taxi |
| Michigan | 7/1/1985 | Primary | $25 | Front | Bus |
| Minnesota | 8/1/1986 | Secondary | $25 | Front | Farm pickup truck |
| Mississippi | 3/20/1990 | Secondary | $25 | Front | Farm vehicle, bus |
| Missouri | 9/28/1985 | Secondary | $10 | Front | Designed for more than 10 people, truck over 12,000 lbs. |
| Montana | 10/1/1987 | Secondary | $20 | All | None |
| Nebraska | 1/1/1993 | Secondary | $25 | Front | Manufactured before 1973 |
| Nevada | 7/1/1987 | Secondary | $25 | All | Taxi, bus, school bus |
| New Hampshire | None | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| New Jersey | 3/1/1985 | Secondary | $20 | Front | None |
| New Mexico | 1/1/1986 | Primary | $25 | Front | Vehicle over 10,000 lbs. |
| New York | 12/1/1984 | Primary | $50 | Front | Bus, school bus, taxi |
| North Carolina | 10/1/1985 | Primary | $25 | Front | Designed for more than 10 people |
| North Dakota | 7/14/1994 | Secondary | $20 | Front | Designed for more than 10 people |
| Ohio | 5/6/1986 | Secondary | $25 | Front | None |
| Oklahoma | 2/1/1987 | Primary | $20 | Front | Farm vehicle, truck, truck tractor, RV |
| Oregon | 12/7/1990 | Primary | $75 | All | None |
| Pennsylvania | 11/23/1987 | Secondary | $10 | Front | Truck over 7,000 lbs. |
| Rhode Island | 6/18/1991 | Secondary | $50 | All | None |
| South Carolina | 7/1/1989 | Secondary | $10 | All | School bus, public bus |
| South Dakota | 1/1/1995 | Secondary | $20 | Front | Bus, school bus |
| Tennessee | 4/21/1986 | Secondary | $50 | Front | Vehicle over 8,500 lbs. |
| Texas | 9/1/1985 | Primary | $50 | Front | Designed for more than 10 people, truck over 15,000 lbs. |
| Utah | 4/28/1986 | Secondary | $45 | Front | Vehicle over 10,000 lbs., school/public bus, taxi |
| Vermont | 1/1/1994 | Secondary | $10 | All | Bus, taxi |
| Virginia | 1/1/1988 | Secondary | $25 | Front | Designed for more than 10 people, taxi |
| Washington | 6/11/1986 | Secondary | $35 | All | Designed for more than 10 people |
| West Virginia | 9/1/1993 | Secondary | $25 | Front | Designed for more than 10 people |
| Wisconsin | 12/1/1987 | Secondary | $10 | All | Taxi, farm truck |
| Wyoming | 6/8/1989 | Secondary | $25 | Front | Designed for more than 10 people, bus |
1 Effective date of first belt law in the state; 2 Primary enforcement enables police officers to stop vehicles and write citations whenever they observe a violation of the seat belt law. Secondary enforcement allows police officers to write a citation for seat belt infractions only after stopping a vehicle for some other traffic infraction; 3 Most states exempt vehicles not manufactured with seat belts; 4 Plus 3 points on license; 5 Fine for first offense; 6 Plus 2 points on license; 7 Penalty could include 30 days in jail.
KEY: NA = not applicable; RV = recreational vehicle.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Traffic Safety Facts 2000, Washington, DC: 2001, available at http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd-30/NCSA/TSFAnn/TSF2000.pdf as of Jan. 4, 2002.