CT new seat belt law
Drivers might want to be sure all passengers are buckled up because of a new state law that went into effect Friday. The law is part of a new set of traffic safety laws passed by the legislature this year, to protect backseat passengers from serious injury or death in a crash.
Under the seat belt law, backseat passengers over 16 now must be buckled up.
Before, only front seat passengers and children under 16 were required by law to be restrained.
“The latest crash data indicates an increase in fatalities last year involving unbuckled passengers and also an increase in ejections, so extra protections are desperately needed,” said Tracy Noble, spokesperson for AAA in Greater Hartford. Back seat restraints make front seat occupants safer, too, she said.
“In the event of a crash, unbuckled rear seat passengers may become projectiles, putting the driver and other belted passengers at greater risk,” Noble said. Between 2017 and 2020, there were more than 12,000 injuries of rear seat occupants in Connecticut and more than 60 fatalities, Noble said. The new law is subject to secondary enforcement, meaning police don’t pull over drivers solely because of an unbelted adult in the back seat, AAA said. However, they can issue a fine for the unbelted passenger if the driver is pulled over for a primary offense, such as speeding.
The fine is $50 if the driver is 18 or older and $75 if the driver is under 18, AAA said.
https://www.courant.com/breaking-news/hc-br-hartford-connecticut-new-laws-backseat-seat-belts-pedestrians-raise-hands-20211001-ixnkvywsanbw7b2gkvjaycz3ya-story.html
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