Seat belt laws are divided into two categories: primary and secondary. Primary seat belt laws allow law enforcement officers to ticket a driver or passenger for not wearing a seat belt, without any other traffic offense taking place. Secondary seat belt laws state that law enforcement officers may issue a ticket for not wearing a seat belt only when there is another citable traffic infraction.
Specific laws vary greatly from state to state, depending on the age of the rider and in what seat he or she is sitting. This page covers seat belt laws for adults and young adults only. For requirements for infants, toddlers, and children, see GHSA's Child Passenger Safety Laws.
NOTE: GHSA does not compile any additional data on adult seat belt laws other than what is presented here. For more information, consult the appropriate State Highway Safety Office.
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Last updated in May 2024. Laws last reviewed by State Highway Safety Offices in March 2024.
New Hampshire has enacted neither a primary nor a secondary seat belt law for adults, although the state does have a primary child passenger safety law that covers all drivers and passengers under 18.
n/a
n/a
Secondary
9 and over
All
Secondary; Primary for occupants under 18
All drivers; passengers 18 and over
Front Under 18: All (primary enforcement)
Secondary; Primary for occupants under 18
18 and over
All
Secondary
18 and over
Front
Secondary; Primary for occupants ages 8-17
8 and over
8-17 yrs: All (primary enforcement)
8-14 yrs: All (primary enforcement) 15 and over: Front
Secondary
8 and over
Primary
All ages. Children younger than eight years of age are required to ride in a child restraint (car seat or booster seat).
All
Secondary
6 and over
All
Secondary
18 and over
Front
Secondary
6 and over
All
8 and over
8-15 yrs: All (primary enforcement) 16 and over: Front
Secondary; Primary for riders ages 8 through 15
Secondary
13 and over
All
Secondary
7 and over (primary law for drivers under 18)
All
Secondary
16 and over (primary law for under 18)
Front
Secondary
8 and over
8-15 yrs: All 8 and over: Front
Primary
8 and over
All
Primary
8 and over
8-17 yrs: Front
Primary
Over 16 or over 4'9"
All
Primary
All riders
All seats
Primary
Drivers and passengers over 16
All
Primary
7 and under who are over 57" 8 and over
All
Front
Primary
16 and over
Primary
8 and over
All
Primary
8 and over
All
Primary
9 and over or 57" and over
Data not available
Primary
All riders
All
13 and over
Front
Primary
Primary
Over 6
All
Primary; Secondary for rear seat occupants
16 and over
All
Primary
All riders
All
Primary
18 and over
All
Primary; Secondary for rear seat occupants
7 and under and more than 57 inches tall 8 and over
All
Primary
7 and over
All
Primary
7 and younger and over 57 inches 8 and over
All
Primary
16 and over
Front
Primary; Secondary for rear seat occupants
16 and over
Under 16 yrs: All 16 yrs and over: Front (secondary enforcement in rear seat)
Primary
All riders
All
All
Primary
13 and over
Primary
7 and under and more than 57 inches 8 and over
All
Primary
14 and over
14-17 yrs: All 18 and over: Front (other seating positions are secondary enforcement)
Primary
All riders
Front
Primary
16 and over
All
16 and over
All
Primary
Primary
8 and over
All
Primary
All riders
All
Primary
8 and older
8-17 yrs: All 18 and over: Front
Primary
6 and over
6-17 yrs: All 6 and over: Front
Primary
16 and over
All
Primary (civil penalty)
16 and over
All
Primary
8 and over
All
Primary
16 and over
All
Primary
15 and over
Front
Primary
16 and over
All
All
Primary
15 and over
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced that an estimated 42,795 people died in traffic crashes in the United States in 2022 – down 0.3% from the year before. That’s an average of 117 people dying on our roads every single day last year.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) today announced that an estimated 42,795 people died in traffic crashes in the United States in 2022 – down 0.3% from the year before.
The Governors Highway Safety Association is pleased to support and celebrate the National Roadway Safety Strategy, an ambitious safety plan released by the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) one year ago that sets a national goal of zero deaths on our nation’s roads.
The Governors Highway Safety Association is pleased to support and celebrate the National Roadway Safety Strategy, an ambitious safety plan released by the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) one year ago that sets a national goal of zero deaths on our nation’s roads.
The Tennessee Highway Safety Office was awarded a grant from Ford Driving Skills for Life & GHSA to educate and promote safe teen driving behavior through a series of in-person events in conjunction with SADD, Alliance Marketing & State Farm to connect schools with teen traffic safety activities.
Jonathan Adkins, executive director of the Governors Highway Safety Association, said the small decrease in overall deaths is welcomed but underscores the record rise in deaths in recent years, which he said are “unacceptable.”
The Governors Highway Safety Association, a group of state traffic safety officials, said the reduction in deaths is welcome, but it follows an unprecedented two-year surge in roadway deaths and dangerous driving.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released a preliminary estimate today finding that 31,785 people died in traffic crashes in the first nine months of 2022, 65 fewer deaths than the same period the year before.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released a preliminary estimate today finding that 31,785 people died in traffic crashes in the first nine months of 2022, 65 fewer deaths than the same period the year before.
Wearing a seat belt, Fischer added, is “the most effective and simplest thing we can do to bring down fatalities. We really need to think about that.”
