The Importance of Seat Belts

• Driving can be dangerous and wearing a seatbelt can reduce the chance of serious injury in a crash by 45-50%.

Why Seat Belts Are Required

• An unbelted occupant in a 30 mph crash hits surfaces with the same impact as falling from a three-story building.
• People without seat belts have been killed at speeds as low as 12 mph.
• Air bag systems are 40% less effective when seat belts are not used.

Seat Belt Statistics

• Traffic crashes kill about five people every hour; in Missouri, one person dies every nine hours.
• Seat belts could save over half of car passengers killed each year.
• A driver not wearing a seat belt is 42 times more likely to die in a crash.

How to Use Seat Belts Properly

• Provide enough seat belts for each person in the vehicle.
• Each person needs their own seat belt.
• Seat belts should fit snugly over the hip bones.
• Wear seat belts low on the hips, not across the stomach.
• Seat belts should be worn snugly and with no slack.
• Pregnant people should wear their seat belt underneath the abdomen.
• The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the body diagonally (never under the arm).

Seat Belts: Who Must Be Secured?

• Everyone in the front seat of cars and trucks weighing under 12,000 pounds must wear seat belts.
• Children aged four through 15 must wear seat belts in any seat in any vehicle.
• Anyone under 18 operating/riding in trucks (regardless of weight) must wear seat belts.
• No person under 18 can ride in the unenclosed bed of a truck weighing less than 12,000 pounds on lettered highways, federal and state highways, or within city limits (with some exceptions).

Who is Responsible?

• Drivers are responsible for ensuring passengers under 16 are buckled up.
• Passengers 16 and over are responsible for themselves.

What Are the Exceptions?

• A physical condition (with a doctor's note)
• Occupants of automobiles manufactured before 1968.
• Postal carriers delivering mail from vehicle.
• Vehicles designed to carry more than 10 passengers and cycles.
• Vehicles engaged in agricultural work.
• U.S. Postal Service workers.

Child Safety

• A rear-facing infant seat should never be placed in the front passenger seat with an active airbag.
• The worst place for a child is in the lap of an adult.
• Child safety seats prevent children injury in the event of a crash.

Rollover Simulator and Convincer

• The Missouri State Highway Patrol uses a rollover simulator and seat belt convincer to graphically demonstrate the importance of wearing seat belts.
• The convincer demonstrates the importance of wearing a seat belt by simulating a five mph head-on collision.
• The convincers were purchased by the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety.

Graduated Driver's License (GDL)

• Seat belts must be worn by the driver and all passengers when the driver is operating the vehicle under a driving permit or intermediate license.
• Noncompliance with the seat belt law by a permit or intermediate driver is a violation of GDL restrictions and could result in fines, court costs, and license suspension.

Who is Held Responsible For Child Passenger Restraints?

• The driver is responsible for ensuring the safety of children and faces fines and court costs for noncompliance.
• Fines for child passenger restraint/booster violations are $50 plus court costs, while safety belt violations are $10.
• Charges may be dismissed if the driver acquires a child restraint system or booster seat before their hearing.
• Failure to comply may also result in criminal charges if the child is injured or if the manner of driving shows disregard for the child's safety.

Exceptions to Child Passenger Restraint Laws

• The law does not apply to public carriers for hire.
• Students four years of age or older on a school bus designed for carrying 11 passengers or more.