SEAT-BELT USE LAWS IN THE UNITED STATES

State
Enacted legislation effective date
2001 usage rate (1)
Primary enforce-
ment (2)
Additional information (3)
Alabama
6/1/00
79.4%
X
 $25 fine; front seat only
Alaska
9/12/90
62.6%
damage mitigation by case law only; $15 fine; all seats
Arizona
1/1/91
74.4%
damage mitigation; $10 fine; front seat only
Arkansas
7/15/91
54.5%
$25 fine; front seat only
California
1/1/86
91.1%
X
 damage mitigation; $20 fine; all seats
Colorado
7/1/87
72.1%
$15 fine; front seat only; limited damage mitigation
Connecticut
1/1/86
78.0%
X
 $15-$37 fine; front seat only
Delaware
1/1/92
67.3%
$20 fine; front seat only
D.C.
12/12/85
83.6%
X
 $50 fine; all seats
Florida
7/1/86
69.5%
damage mitigation; $30 fine; front seat only
Georgia
9/1/88
79.0%
X
 $15 fine; front seat only
Hawaii
12/16/85
82.5%
X
 $45 fine; front seat only
Idaho
7/1/86
60.4%
$5 fine; front seat only
Illinois
7/1/85
71.4%
$25 fine; front seat only
Indiana
7/1/87
67.4%
X
 $25 fine; front seat only
Iowa
7/1/86
80.9%
X
 damage mitigation up to 5% max; $25 fine; front seat only
Kansas
7/1/86
60.8%
$10 fine; front seat only
Kentucky
7/13/94
61.9%
$25 fine; all seats
Louisiana
7/1/86
68.1%
X
 $25 fine; front seat only
Maine
12/27/95
NA
$50 fine; all seats
Maryland
7/1/86
82.9%
X
 $25 fine; front seat only
Massachusetts
2/1/94
56.0%
$25 fine; all seats
Michigan
4/1/00
82.3%
X
 damage mitigation up to 5% max; $25 fine; front seat only
Minnesota
10/1/86
73.9%
$25 fine; front seat only; children under 4
Mississippi
3/20/90
61.6%
$25 fine; front seat only
Missouri
9/28/85
67.9%
damage mitigation up to 1% max; $10 fine; front seat only
Montana
10/1/87
76.3%
$20 fine; all seats
Nebraska
1/1/93
70.2%
damage mitigation up to 5% max; $25 fine; front seat only
Nevada
7/1/87
74.5%
$25 fine; all seats
New Hampshire
NA
Under 18 years old: $25 fine
New Jersey
5/1/00
77.6%
X
 $20 fine; front seat only; limited damage mitigation
New Mexico
1/1/86
87.8%
X
 $25 fine; all seats
New York
12/1/84
80.3%
X
 damage mitigation; $50 fine; front seat only
North Carolina
10/1/85
82.7%
X
 $25 fine; front seat only; children under 16, all seats
North Dakota
7/14/94
57.9%
damage mitigation; $20 fine; front seat only
Ohio
5/6/86
66.9%
limited damage mitigation; $25 fine; front seat only
Oklahoma
2/1/87
67.9%
X
 $20 fine; front seat only
Oregon
12/7/90
87.5%
X
 damage mitigation up to 5% max; $75 fine; all seats
Pennsylvania
11/23/87
70.5%
$10 fine; front seat only
Rhode Island
6/1/91
63.2%
$50 fine; all seats
South Carolina
7/1/89
69.9%
$25 fine; all seats
South Dakota
1/1/95
63.3%
$20 fine; front seat only
Tennessee
4/21/86
68.3%
$50 fine; front seat only
Texas
9/1/85
76.1%
X
 $100 fine; front seat only; children 4 to 16, all seats
Utah
4/28/86
77.8%
$45 fine; front seat only
Vermont
1/1/94
67.4%
$10 fine; all seats
Virginia
1/1/88
72.3%
$25 fine; front seat only
Washington
6/11/86
82.6%
$35 fine; all seats
West Virginia
9/1/93
52.3%
damage mitigation up to 5% max; $25 front seat only
Wisconsin
12/1/87
68.7%
damage mitigation up to 15% max; $10 fine; all seats
Wyoming
6/8/89
NA
$25 fine; all seats
United States
71%
 

(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 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. 

NA=Data Not Available.

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation; Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.