As the driver you're responsible for every passenger. Minnesota requires everyone — front and back — to buckle up, and sets clear stages for how children must ride.
Know the rule
All vehicles must have seat belts and everyone must use them — the driver and all passengers, including those in the back seat. Police can stop you for a seat belt violation alone.
Handbook p. 40 ↗Without a seat belt:
- Your chance of being killed or injured in a crash is four times greater
- You can be killed in a crash at speeds as low as 12 mph
- You can be ejected — people thrown from vehicles are likely to die or be seriously hurt
You don't have to wear a belt if you are:
- Driving a passenger vehicle in reverse
- In a seat where all belts are in use by other passengers
- Holding a physician's written certificate for medical reasons
- Working with frequent exits and entries, driving no faster than 25 mph
- A rural mail carrier delivering for the U.S. Postal Service
- Driving or riding in a pickup during farm work
- Driving a vehicle made before Jan. 1, 1965
Know the rule
Wear lap and shoulder belts together. The lap belt fits snugly across your hipbones or upper thighs — never across your abdomen. The shoulder belt fits snugly across your chest and the middle of your shoulder.
Handbook p. 40 ↗Know the rule
Children under 13 must ride in the back seat if one is available. Car seats and boosters must be federally approved and installed per the manufacturer's instructions.
Handbook p. 41 ↗Child restraint stages
| Child | Required restraint |
|---|---|
| Under age 2 | Rear-facing until the seat's height or weight limit |
| Age 2+, within rear-facing limits | Stay rear-facing until too tall or heavy |
| Outgrew rear-facing seat | Forward-facing to its limit (often 40–60 lbs) |
| Age 4 to 9, outgrew car seat | Booster seat with a safety belt |
| Age 9, or outgrew the booster | Seat belt without a booster |
Other child passenger rules
- Don't use a safety seat that has been in a crash
- Seats expire six years from manufacture unless another date is stamped on them
- Never put a rear-facing infant seat in front of an active airbag
- Don't hold children on a passenger's lap
- Children shouldn't ride in the cargo area of a truck or station wagon
Know the rule
Never leave children or vulnerable adults alone in a vehicle: they could set it in motion, extreme heat or cold can kill, and the car could be stolen or broken into. Lock up, take your keys, don't leave it running, and don't leave pets in the car on hot or cold days.
Handbook p. 41 ↗Airbag
A supplemental restraint system that works with seat belts to prevent injuries. It is not designed to keep occupants from being ejected.
Handbook p. 42 ↗Airbag safety
- Keep at least 10 inches between you and the steering wheel
- Hands at 8 and 4 or 9 and 3 o'clock — avoid 10 and 2
- Keep your thumbs turned out on the wheel
- Move front passenger seats as far back as possible
Put it into practice
You're driving your 7-year-old nephew, who has outgrown his forward-facing car seat. He must ride in a booster seat with a safety belt, in the back seat because he's under 13.