Washington State Seat Belt Laws

Most people have heard of “Click It or Ticket” campaigns. These campaigns are designed to raise awareness of wearing a seat belt while driving or riding in an automobile. According to some studies, 59% of people who died in an automobile-related accident were not wearing a seat belt. In fact, more lives are lost by people not wearing seat belt than by drunk driving. If you are caught driving without a seat belt, you may be issued a ticket by Washington law enforcement.

In Washington State, a driver may be charged with an infraction for every passenger under the age of 15 who is not wearing a seat belt. Passengers over the age of 16 may be issued a separate infraction notice. For violating Washington State seat belt laws, you could be fined $124. While a seat belt offense may be reported on your driving record, it is not available to insurance companies. Taking care of your ticket is important—failure to do so may result in a license suspension for failing to appear.

There are exemptions to the seat belt law. For example, a driver or passenger with a written doctor’s note stating that he or she is unable to wear a seat belt for medical or physical reasons does not have to wear the seat belt.

Washington’s seat belt laws require vehicles manufactured after January 1, 1964 to have at least two lap seat belts in the front seat. Vehicles manufactured after January 1, 1968 must have one lap seat belt for each passenger seat or at least two shoulder harness seat belts for the front seat. Pickup trucks manufactured after 1972 are also required to have seat belts.

Children under the age of 13 are required to sit in the back seat of a vehicle when practical. Washington State also requires the use of child restraints for children under a certain age and/or weight. For example, children less than one-year of age, or who weigh twenty pounds or less, should be secured in a rear-facing infant seat.

If you received a seat belt ticket, call us right away to talk about whether you should fight the ticket.  There is a deadline for paying the fine or contesting or mitigating the infraction. If you miss the deadline, it might result in the fine going to collections and your driver’s license might be affected as well.

To learn more about Washington’s seat belt and child restraint laws, contact Callahan Law today.