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Virginia driving lesson · Seat Belts, Air Bags & Child Safety Seats

Seat Belts

A 2-minute lesson from the Virginia course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.

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Read time
2 minutes
Course unit
Seat Belts, Air Bags & Child Safety Seats
Checkpoint questions
6
Source pages
28

Wearing a seat belt can double your chances of surviving a crash and more than double your chances of avoiding serious injury. In Virginia, everyone in the car must buckle up, front seat and back, and the driver answers for every rider under 18.

Know the rule

Under Virginia law, the driver and all passengers, front and rear, must wear safety belts.

Handbook p. 28 ↗

Know the rule

A driver carrying anyone younger than 18 must make sure that passenger is properly secured in a safety belt, booster seat or child safety seat, no matter where they sit.

Handbook p. 28 ↗

Wearing your belt correctly:

  • Lap belt low on your lap, against your thighs
  • Shoulder belt over your shoulder and across your chest
  • Never put the shoulder belt behind your back or under your arm
  • Both belts should be snug
  • Pregnant women: wear the belt as low on the pelvis as possible
Handbook p. 28 ↗

Know the rule

Exception: a licensed physician may grant a waiver if wearing a belt isn't reasonable because of the driver's or passenger's physical or medical condition.

Handbook p. 28 ↗

Know the rule

A person with a waiver must carry the physician's signed written statement identifying them and the reason for the waiver.

Handbook p. 28 ↗
2x

A seat belt can double your chances of surviving a crash

Handbook p. 28 ↗

Put it into practice

You're 20 and driving your 17-year-old friend, who sits in the back seat unbuckled. You're responsible: as the driver, you must make sure any passenger under 18 is properly secured, wherever they sit.

Check your understanding

Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.

Under Virginia law, who must wear safety belts in a vehicle?
  1. Only the driver and front passenger
  2. Only passengers under age 18
  3. The driver and all passengers
  4. The driver and passengers under 18

Answer: The driver and all passengers

Under Virginia law, the driver and all passengers, both front and rear, must wear safety belts.

Handbook p. 28 ↗
How should you wear your lap belt?
  1. High across your stomach
  2. Loosely, for comfort
  3. Across your waist, above the hips
  4. Low, against your thighs

Answer: Low, against your thighs

Wear your lap belt low on your lap and against your thighs.

Handbook p. 28 ↗
Where should the shoulder belt never be worn?
  1. Behind you or under your arm
  2. Over your shoulder
  3. Across your chest
  4. Snug against your body

Answer: Behind you or under your arm

Never wear your shoulder belt behind your back or under your arm.

Handbook p. 28 ↗
How should a pregnant woman wear her seat belt for maximum safety?
  1. As high as possible on the stomach
  2. As low as possible on the pelvis
  3. Loosely across the belly
  4. Only the shoulder belt, no lap belt

Answer: As low as possible on the pelvis

Pregnant women are much safer wearing the belt as low on the pelvis as possible.

Handbook p. 28 ↗
How can a driver legally get a waiver from the seat belt requirement?
  1. Any adult passenger can self-certify an exemption
  2. It is automatically waived for trips under 5 miles
  3. A licensed physician grants it due to a physical or medical condition
  4. Waivers are not available under Virginia law

Answer: A licensed physician grants it due to a physical or medical condition

A waiver may be granted by a licensed physician if wearing a seat belt is not reasonable due to a medical condition.

Handbook p. 28 ↗
A driver transporting a passenger younger than 18 must ensure what, no matter where the child sits?
  1. The passenger sits only in the back seat
  2. The passenger rides in a booster seat
  3. The front passenger air bag is turned off
  4. The passenger is secured in a belt, booster, or child seat

Answer: The passenger is secured in a belt, booster, or child seat

A driver must ensure any passenger under 18 is properly secured, regardless of where they sit in the vehicle.

Handbook p. 28 ↗
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