Comparing Seat Belt Laws by State

Illinois is like almost every other state in the U.S. in that it has enacted seat belt laws in an effort to protect the safety of its residents. But how do Illinois seat belt laws compare to those across the country?

Primary vs. Secondary Laws

Before we can answer this question fully, we must explain that seat belt laws can be classified as either primary or secondary. In states with primary laws, drivers can be pulled over by police for seat belt violations. But in states which have their seat belt regulations listed as secondary laws, police officers are only permitted to ticket people for seat belt infractions if the driver or passenger has first been cited for a different violation.

Illinois has a secondary seat belt law, joining 18 other states in that category. Conversely, 30 states, the District of Columbia, and most American territories have enacted primary seat belt laws. Only the state of New Hampshire does not enforce any seat belt laws where adults are involved.

Other Differences in Seat Belt Laws

In the state of Illinois, the driver and front seat passengers must be wearing a seat belt, but passengers seated in other parts of the vehicle may or may not be required to do so depending on their age. A total of 13 other states distinguish the legality of front and rear seat belt use by age.

In the rest of the U.S., 15 states only require front seat passengers to wear safety belts. The remaining 21 states and the District of Columbia mandate that all passengers in a vehicle must be belted in.

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