By Fred Lewis and George Casper
Seat belts reduce the probability of serious injury or death by about half when a car accident occurs. In Idaho, seatbelt laws fall under Idaho Code 49-673 and were first introduced in 1986. The laws have been amended multiple times, with the most recent amendment coming in 2014. This law requires everyone in a vehicle to wear safety restraints. Other provisions under the law include:
- Adult violators, 18 and older, are subject to a $10 citation.
- An adult driver is ticketed for passengers younger than 18 who are not properly restrained.
- If the driver is younger than 18 and the driver or any occupant younger than 18 fails to wear a seat belt, court costs are added to the fine. The $10 fine and court costs total $51.50.
- A law enforcement officer can issue a citation solely for a safety restraint violation, but there must be another violation leading to the traffic stop.
As mentioned in the final bullet point, Idaho’s seat belt laws are a secondary enforcement law. This means an officer has to pull you over for some other reason before he or she can cite you for not wearing your seatbelt. This point seems to be known to Idaho drivers because they have one of the lowest seat belt usage percentages in the United States.
In order to better protect yourself from serious injury or possibly even death via a car accident, please wear your seatbelt. If your seat belt is faulty and is the direct result of your injury, you may be able to file a personal injury and a defective equipment lawsuit. If this is the case, Racine Olson has the experience and expertise in these areas to help you get the settlement you deserve.
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