|
State
|
Enacted Legislation Effective Date
|
2003 Usage Rate (1)
|
Primary Enforcement (2)
|
Additional Information (3)
|
|
Alabama |
6/1/00 |
77% |
X |
$25 fine; front seat only |
|
Alaska |
9/12/90 |
79 |
|
$15 fine; all seats; damage mitigation by case law only |
|
Arizona |
1/1/91 |
86 |
|
damage mitigation; $10 fine; all seats |
|
Arkansas |
7/15/91 |
63 |
|
$25 fine; front seat only |
|
California |
1/1/86 |
91 |
X |
$20 fine; all seats |
|
Colorado |
7/1/87 |
78 |
|
$15 fine; front seat only; limited damage mitigation |
|
Connecticut |
1/1/86 |
78 |
X |
$15-$37 fine; front seat only |
|
Delaware |
1/1/92 |
75 |
X |
$25 fine; all seats |
|
D.C. |
12/12/85 |
85 |
X |
$50 fine; all seats |
|
Florida |
7/1/86 |
73 |
|
damage mitigation; $30 fine; all seats |
|
Georgia |
9/1/88 |
85 |
X |
$15 fine; all seats |
|
Hawaii |
12/16/85 |
92 |
X |
$45 fine; all seats |
|
Idaho |
7/1/86 |
72 |
|
$25 fine; all seats |
|
Illinois |
7/1/85 |
76 |
X |
$25 fine; front seat only (4) |
|
Indiana |
7/1/87 |
82 |
X |
$25 fine; front seat only |
|
Iowa |
7/1/86 |
86 |
X |
damage mitigation up to 5% max; $10 fine; front seat only |
|
Kansas |
7/1/86 |
64 |
|
$10 fine; front seat only |
|
Kentucky |
7/13/94 |
66 |
|
$25 fine; all seats |
|
Louisiana |
7/1/86 |
74 |
X |
$25 fine; front seat only |
|
Maine |
12/27/95 |
NA |
|
$50 fine; all seats |
|
Maryland |
7/1/86 |
88 |
X |
$25 fine; front seat only |
|
Massachusetts |
2/1/94 |
62 |
|
$25 fine; all seats |
|
Michigan |
4/1/00 |
84 |
X |
damage mitigation up to 5% max; $25 fine; all seats |
|
Minnesota |
10/1/86 |
80 |
|
$25 fine; front seat only |
|
Mississippi |
3/20/90 |
62 |
(5) |
$25 fine; all seats |
|
Missouri |
9/28/85 |
73 |
(5) |
damage mitigation up to 1% max; $10 fine; all seats |
|
Montana |
10/1/87 |
80 |
|
$20 fine; all seats |
|
Nebraska |
1/1/93 |
76 |
|
damage mitigation up to 5% max; $25 fine; front seat only |
|
Nevada |
7/1/87 |
79 |
|
$25 fine; all seats |
|
New Hampshire |
|
50 |
|
Under 18 yrs old: $25 fine |
|
New Jersey |
5/1/00 |
81 |
X |
$20 fine; damage mitigation; all seats |
|
New Mexico |
1/1/86 |
87 |
X |
$25 fine; all seats |
|
New York |
12/1/84 |
85 |
X |
damage mitigation; $50 fine; all seats |
|
North Carolina |
10/1/85 |
86 |
X |
$25 fine; front seat only |
|
North Dakota |
7/14/94 |
0.64 |
|
damage mitigation; $20 fine; front seat only |
|
Ohio |
5/6/86 |
75 |
|
damage mitigation; $20-$30 fine; front seat only |
|
Oklahoma |
2/1/87 |
77 |
X |
$20 fine; front seat only |
|
Oregon |
12/7/90 |
90 |
X |
damage mitigation; $75 fine; all seats |
|
Pennsylvania |
11/23/87 |
79 |
|
$10 fine; front seat only |
|
Rhode Island |
6/1/91 |
74 |
(5) |
$57 fine; all seats |
|
South Carolina |
7/1/89 |
73 |
(5) |
$10 fine; all seats |
|
South Dakota |
1/1/95 |
70 |
|
$20 fine; front seat only |
|
Tennessee |
4/21/86 |
69 |
|
$10 fine; front seat only |
|
Texas |
9/1/85 |
84 |
X |
$200 fine; all seats |
|
Utah |
4/28/86 |
85 |
|
$45 fine; all seats |
|
Vermont |
1/1/94 |
82 |
|
$25 fine; all seats |
|
Virginia |
1/1/88 |
75 |
|
$25 fine; front seat only |
|
Washington |
6/11/86 |
95 |
X |
$37 fine; all seats |
|
West Virginia |
9/1/93 |
74 |
|
damage mitigation up to 5% max for medical expenses only; $25 fine; all seats |
|
Wisconsin |
12/1/87 |
70 |
|
damage mitigation up to 15% max; $10 fine; all seats |
|
Wyoming |
6/8/89 |
67 |
|
$10-$25 fine; all seats |
|
United States |
|
79 |
|
|
|
(1)Surveys used by states must be actual observation of shoulder belt use by drivers and front seat passengers.
(2)Primary enforcement means police may stop a vehicle and issue a fine for noncompliance with seat belt laws. In other states, the law provides for secondary enforcement. This means that police may issue a fine for not wearing a seat belt only if the vehicle has been stopped for other traffic violations.
(3)Applies to motor vehicle operators and passengers who are 16 years old and older. Damage mitigation means that a violation may result in damages, a legal term meaning court awarded compensation for injury, being reduced up to a certain percentage. Fines are the maximum allowed by law.
(4)All seats if driver is under 18.
(5)Primary enforcement for children; ages vary.
NA=Data not available.
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation; Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. |
