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It is important to take the time to learn driving laws, including seat belt laws, in any state you may be driving in. In this guide, we will take a look at all there is to know about New Jersey seat belt laws.
New Jersey Seat Belt Laws
According to the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, everyone is required to wear a seatbelt while the car is in motion. The state government provides tips and facts about seat belt wearing to help you protect yourself and all drivers or passengers of vehicles. Remember, these laws vary from state to state, so if you are not a New Jersey resident and find yourself driving in New Jersey state, they may be different than the ones you are used to in your state.
Tips for Properly Wearing a Seat Belt
The Buckle Up New Jersey Government document features a list of tips on how to properly wear a seat belt in order to best protect the passenger wearing one. These tips include:
● Buckling both the lap and shoulder belts
● Wearing the lap belt under the abdomen and low across the hips
● Knowing how to adjust the seat belt
● Knowing how to quickly remove the seat belt
● Only one person to a seat belt
Following these tips can help save your life. It is especially important to teach children as they grow older how to properly use a seat belt once they are no longer required to use a booster seat. In the final section of the guide, we consider different ways to help keep children safe when riding in a car, as well as the specific laws applying to children in vehicles.
Who is Required to Follow the Laws?
Applies to all passenger vehicles including vans, pickup trucks and SUVs, that are required to be equipped with seat belts. The law applies to all driver and front seat passengers of a passenger automobile operating on a street or highway who are at least:
● Eight years old
● 57 inches tall
Under NJS 39:3-76.2f these rules apply to “all passenger vehicles including vans, pickup trucks and SUVs, are required to be equipped with seat belts.”
Who is Responsible to Make Sure Everyone is obeying the law?
If a vehicle is stopped in New Jersey and the occupants of the vehicle are not following the seat belt laws, all passengers 18 years or older are responsible for themselves. If there are minors under 18 years of age, the driver is automatically made responsible.
Exemptions to the Seat Belt Laws
There are certain exemptions to the New Jersey seat belt laws listed in the Buckle Up New Jersey seat belt laws document. These exceptions include:
● A passenger automobile manufactured before July 1, 1966;
● A passenger automobile in which the driver or passenger possesses a written verification from a licensed physician that the driver or passenger is unable to wear a safety seat belt system for physical or medical reasons;
● A passenger automobile which is not required to be equipped with a safety seat belt system under federal law;
● A passenger automobile operated by a rural letter carrier of the United States Postal Service while performing the duties of a rural letter carrier; or
● A passenger automobile which was originally constructed with fewer safety seat belt systems than are necessary to allow the passenger to be buckled.
While the list of exemptions may appear long, they apply to very few cases. It is important to wear a seat belt whenever you are seated in a vehicle to avoid both the danger of getting into a crash without a seat belt as well as the legal issues which may ensue.
Children Seat Belt and Car Seat Laws in New Jersey
As of 2015, New Jersey officially updated some of its child vehicle passenger laws. It is important to be properly informed on these changes if you are driving with a child in the state of New Jersey. According to Legislation – P.L. 2015, c.50, the rules include:
● A child under the age of 2 years and 30 pounds shall be secured in a rear-facing seat equipped with a 5-point harness.
● A child under the age of 4 years and 40 pounds shall be secured as described in (a) until they reach the upper limits of the rear-facing seat, then in a forward-facing child restraint equipped with a 5-point harness
● A child under the age of 8 and a height of 57 inches shall be secured as described in (a) or (b) until they reach the upper limits of the rear-facing or forward facing seat, then in a belt positioning booster seat
● A child over 8 years of age or 57 inches in height must be properly secured by a seat belt.
It is reported that 35% of children killed due to car crashes were not properly restrained in the vehicle. To avoid risking potentially fatal accidents with children while driving, it is important to have all of the necessary information on protecting children in vehicles.
Children Car Seat Types
There are different kinds of car seats available for children. The United States Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) provides a great overview of car safety when driving with children. They also have a list of different kinds of car seats adapted to different age groups which are important to know, including:
● Rear-Facing Car Seat for children upto 3 years old
● Forward-Facing Car Seat for children between 1 and 7 years old
● Booster Seat for children between 4 and 12 years old
● Seat belt for children big enough for it to fit properly
The precise kind of seat you should get for your child depends not only on their age but their size as well. The NHTSA has a Car Seat Finder to help you find the perfect recommended car seat to best protect your child while driving.
The 5-Step Booster Test
To know whether your child is ready to move out of the booster seat and become secured by a regular seat belt, it is important to check that they fit all of the qualifications to stay as safe as possible. There are five questions which need to be answered YES to in order to know whether the child is ready to be out of the booster seat:
- Is the back pressed against the vehicle seat?
- Are the knees bent at the edge of the seat?
- Is the shoulder belt between the neck and shoulders?
- Is the lap belt between the hips and the thighs?
- Can they sit properly without slouching, being uncomfortable, or playing with the seat belt?
If you still feel hesitant even if the five questions have been answered, it is better to stay safe than be sorry later. You can always check out government resources about children and car seats to get the most up-to-date and trustworthy information.
