Belts save lives only if you wear them correctly every trip. Florida law sets who must buckle up, how young children ride, and who gets the ticket when someone isn't restrained.
In a crash, your safety belt keeps you:
- From being thrown out of the vehicle
- From being thrown against other passengers, the steering wheel or the windshield
- Behind the wheel, where you can control the vehicle
Know the rule
Wear both the lap belt (around your hips) and the shoulder belt (across your chest). A belt tucked behind you does not work.
Handbook p. 35 ↗Know the rule
Air bags are designed to work with safety belts. They are NOT a replacement for wearing one.
Handbook p. 47 ↗Florida law requires:
- All drivers, front-seat passengers and passengers under 18 to wear safety belts
- Children under age 4 to ride in a safety seat
- Children ages 4 and 5 to ride in a safety seat or a booster seat
Who gets the ticket?
| Unbelted person | Who is charged |
|---|---|
| Any passenger under 18 | The driver |
| Passenger 18 or older (when required) | The passenger |
Know the rule
Children under 13 should ride in the rear seat, because air bags can injure or kill young children in front. Never put a rear-facing car seat in front of an air bag.
Handbook p. 36 ↗Know the rule
Parents or guardians must supply a proper child restraint when a child rides in a vehicle for hire, such as a taxi, bus or limousine.
Handbook p. 36 ↗Know the rule
On a school bus that has safety belts or restraints, passengers must wear them, properly adjusted and fastened, whenever the bus is operating.
Handbook p. 36 ↗Exempt from the safety belt law:
- A person a physician certifies can't safely wear one (keep the certificate with you)
- Newspaper home delivery employees while delivering
- School buses bought new before December 31, 2000; buses carrying people for pay
- Farm equipment; trucks with a net weight of more than 26,000 pounds
- Belt without booster for ages 4–5: only if driver isn't immediate family and it's a favor or emergency
Know the rule
The best child seat fits your child and your car and is one you can use correctly every time. Free checks are available in most cases at car seat fitting stations.
Handbook p. 35 ↗Put it into practice
You're 19, driving your 17-year-old cousin, who refuses to buckle up. Because the passenger is under 18, you, the driver, are charged. If your passenger were 18, they would get the ticket themselves.