Purpose

• The purpose of seat belt laws and fines is to keep drivers safe in the unfortunate case of an accident, especially on roads or highways where traffic moves very fast. Many times, whether the person in an accident was wearing a seat belt can be the determining factor between survival and death. Because of this, many states take seat belt laws and fines very seriously. As an extra plus, governments receive extra funding that they can take from people who choose to act irresponsibly, which means better infrastructure or services for fewer taxes.
  
  

Laws

• The different ways that seat belt laws can vary from state to state usually involve factors such as the age of the children in the car, how big the children are, whether they are in the front or the back seats and the age of the driver. Most states set an age or size requirement for children; if they fall below that requirement, they must use either a child restraint or a booster seat instead of a regular adult seat belt. Only one state--New Hampshire--does not have a law requiring use of seat belts at all.
  
  

Fines

• From state to state, the maximum fine limit for first offenses can vary greatly. In some states, you may receive a $10 fine for not wearing a seat belt. However, in other states, the fines may be much higher. In Texas, for example, you can receive a $200 fine on your first offense for not wearing a seat belt, or you can receive a $500 fine in Nevada for not having a small child in a booster seat or child restraint. Fines are generally much higher across all states when small children are involved.
  
  

Prevention/Solution

• In order to prevent having to pay fines for breaking seat belt laws, you should know the laws within your own state by heart. Go to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's website for more information about laws within each state (see Resources below). Also, if you ever plan to go on a trip that crosses state lines, look at the laws within each state and plan to follow the laws of whichever state is the most strict to avoid being pulled over. This is especially true if you are bringing children with you on the trip.
  
  

Warning

• You should be able to easily find the maximum fine limit for first seat belt offenses easily within each state, but this fine will usually go up for repeated offenses. There is nothing to stop another police officer from pulling you over again during the same trip, so if you cannot afford to pay increased fines, always be sure you can provide seat belts for all passengers before beginning a trip. Aside from avoiding fines, it increases the survival chances of all of your passengers in the unfortunate case of an accident.