Table 2-3:  Key Provisions of Safety Belt Use Laws: 2000,,,,,,
State,Effective1,Enforcement2,     Fine,,Seats,Vehicles exempted3
Alabama,7/18/1992,Primary,$25 ,,Front,Designed for more than 10 passengers
Alaska,9/12/1990,Secondary,$15 ,,All,School bus
Arizona,1/1/1991,Secondary,$10 ,,Front,Designed for more than 10 passengers; model year before 1972
Arkansas,7/15/1991,Secondary,$25 ,4,Front,"School bus, church bus, public bus"
California,1/1/1986,Primary,$20 ,5,All,None
Colorado,7/1/1987,Secondary,$15 ,,Front,"Passenger bus, school bus"
Connecticut,1/1/1986,Primary,$15 ,,Front,"Truck or bus over 15,000 lbs."
Delaware,1/1/1992,Secondary,$20 ,,Front,None
District of Columbia,12/12/1985,Primary,$50 ,6,All,Seating more than 8 people
Florida,7/1/1986,Secondary,$30 ,,Front,"School bus, public bus, truck over 5,000 lbs."
Georgia,9/1/1988,Primary,$15 ,,Front,"Designed for more than 10 passengers, pickup"
Hawaii,2/16/1985,Primary,$45 ,,Front,"Bus or school bus over 10,000 lbs."
Idaho,7/1/1986,Secondary,$5 ,,Front,"Over 8,000 lbs."
Illinois,7/1/1985,Secondary,$25 ,,Front,None
Indiana,7/1/1987,Primary,$25 ,,Front,"Truck, tractor, RV"
Iowa,7/1/1986,Primary,$10 ,,Front,None
Kansas,7/1/1986,Secondary,$10 ,,Front,"Designed for more than 10 people, truck over 12,000 lbs."
Kentucky,7/13/1994,Secondary,$25 ,,All,Designed for more than 10 people
Louisiana,7/1/1986,Primary,$25 ,7,Front,Manufactured before 1/1/81
Maine,12/27/1995,Secondary,$50 ,,All,None
Maryland,7/1/1986,Primary,$25 ,,Front,Historic vehicle
Massachusetts,2/1/1994,Secondary,$25 ,,All,"Truck over 18,000 lbs., bus, taxi"
Michigan,7/1/1985,Primary,$25 ,,Front,Bus
Minnesota,8/1/1986,Secondary,$25 ,,Front,Farm pickup truck
Mississippi,3/20/1990,Secondary,$25 ,,Front,"Farm vehicle, bus"
Missouri,9/28/1985,Secondary,$10 ,,Front,"Designed for more than 10 people, truck over 12,000 lbs."
Montana,10/1/1987,Secondary,$20 ,,All,None
Nebraska,1/1/1993,Secondary,$25 ,,Front,Manufactured before 1973
Nevada,7/1/1987,Secondary,$25 ,,All,"Taxi, bus, school bus"
New Hampshire,None,NA,NA,,NA,NA
New Jersey,3/1/1985,Secondary,$20 ,,Front,None
New Mexico,1/1/1986,Primary,$25 ,,Front,"Vehicle over 10,000 lbs."
New York,12/1/1984,Primary,$50 ,,Front,"Bus, school bus, taxi"
North Carolina,10/1/1985,Primary,$25 ,,Front,Designed for more than 10 people
North Dakota,7/14/1994,Secondary,$20 ,,Front,Designed for more than 10 people
Ohio,5/6/1986,Secondary,$25 ,,Front,None
Oklahoma,2/1/1987,Primary,$20 ,,Front,"Farm vehicle, truck, truck tractor, RV"
Oregon,12/7/1990,Primary,$75 ,,All,None
Pennsylvania,11/23/1987,Secondary,$10 ,,Front,"Truck over 7,000 lbs."
Rhode Island,6/18/1991,Secondary,$50 ,,All,None
South Carolina,7/1/1989,Secondary,$10 ,,All,"School bus, public bus"
South Dakota,1/1/1995,Secondary,$20 ,,Front,"Bus, school bus"
Tennessee,4/21/1986,Secondary,$50 ,,Front,"Vehicle over 8,500 lbs."
Texas,9/1/1985,Primary,$50 ,,Front,"Designed for more than 10 people, truck over 15,000 lbs."
Utah,4/28/1986,Secondary,$45 ,,Front,"Vehicle over 10,000 lbs., school/public bus, taxi"
Vermont,1/1/1994,Secondary,$10 ,,All,"Bus, taxi"
Virginia,1/1/1988,Secondary,$25 ,,Front,"Designed for more than 10 people, taxi"
Washington,6/11/1986,Secondary,$35 ,,All,Designed for more than 10 people
West Virginia,9/1/1993,Secondary,$25 ,,Front,Designed for more than 10 people
Wisconsin,12/1/1987,Secondary,$10 ,,All,"Taxi, farm truck"
Wyoming,6/8/1989,Secondary,$25 ,,Front,"Designed for more than 10 people, bus"
1 Effective date of first belt law in the state; 2 Primary enforcement enables police officers to stop vehicles and write citations whenever they observe a violation of the seat belt law.  Secondary enforcement allows police officers to write a citation for seat belt infractions only after stopping a vehicle for some other traffic infraction; 3 Most states exempt vehicles not manufactured with seat belts; 4 Plus 3 points on license;            5 Fine for first offense; 6 Plus 2 points on license; 7 Penalty could include 30 days in jail.  ,,,,,,
KEY: NA = not applicable; RV = recreational vehicle.,,,,,,
"SOURCE:  U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Traffic Safety Facts 2000, Washington, DC: 2001, available at http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd-30/NCSA/TSFAnn/TSF2000.pdf as of Jan. 4, 2002.",,,,,,