STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Are you and your passengers still riding around unbuckled? That could wind up costing you more than you think.
On Nov. 1, New York’s new universal seat belt law, which requires all vehicle passengers to wear a seat belt at all times, regardless of age or seat location, officially went into effect.
Previously, adult passengers in New York were only required to wear a seat belt when sitting in the front seat of a vehicle. However, now that the new law has taken effect, that requirement has been extended to the back seat, regardless of the passenger’s age.
But what’s it actually going to cost New Yorkers who get caught without their seat belts fastened? In some cases, more than just a petty fine.
For drivers and passengers over the age of 16, fines for not wearing a seat belt can go up to $50.
However, if a passenger under the age of 16 is cited for not wearing a seat belt, the driver can be fined up to $100 and receive three driver license penalty points for each violation.
The new law, approved by state legislators back in March, is expected to save thousands of lives on New York roads, with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimating that, in 2017, seat belts saved about 14,955 lives across the country, and could have saved an additional 2,549 people if they had been wearing a seat belt.
In New York, unbuckled passengers account for 30% of all highway deaths, according to the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee.
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New York was the first state in the country to institute a mandatory seat belt law back in 1984.
Since then, seat belt usage in the state has increased from under 20% to nearly 90%, according to the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles.
Buckling up is required in personal cars and when riding in a taxi or for-hire vehicle, including on app-based trips.
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