Seat belts save lives. New Jersey’s seat belt laws aim to protect drivers and passengers by requiring proper restraints in all vehicles.
Following these laws is essential to lowering the risk of serious injuries and fatalities on the road.
Vehicles and seat belt requirements
New Jersey law requires seat belts in all passenger vehicles, including cars, vans, SUVs, and pickup trucks. The law requires all occupants aged 8 and older or those taller than 57 inches to wear seat belts, regardless of where they sit in the vehicle. Drivers are responsible for ensuring all passengers under 18 are properly buckled up. Under the law, adults seated in the back must also wear seat belts.
Seat belt laws for children
To maximize their safety, specific rules apply to young children. Children under the age of 2 and weighing less than 30 pounds must be secured in a rear-facing car seat with a 5-point harness. Children between the ages of 2 and 4 who weigh less than 40 pounds should use a forward-facing car seat with a 5-point harness.
Once a child outgrows the forward-facing seat, children under the age of 8 or shorter than 57 inches must use a booster seat until they are large enough for a standard seat belt.
The life-saving impact of seat belts
Wearing a seat belt significantly reduces the risk of death or serious injury in a crash. In New Jersey, over the past decade, more than 1,500 people who were not wearing seat belts lost their lives in vehicle accidents. Nationally, seat belts saved nearly 15,000 lives in 2017 alone. These devices, when used correctly, work together with airbags to provide optimal protection for vehicle occupants.
Stay safe on the road
New Jersey’s seat belt laws are in place to save lives. Wearing a seat belt takes only seconds but could mean the difference between life and death in an accident. Follow the law, buckle up, and encourage others to do the same.