Seatbelts
Texas law requires that you use your safety belt. If your vehicle was originally equipped with seatbelts, it must have a them installed. The 1997 traffic safety statistics for Houston revealed that 61 percent of children were not properly restrained by seat belts or child safety seats.You and your passengers must wear a safety belt in the front seat while the car is in motion. If you do not wear your safety belts, you or your passenger (age 17 and older) may be given a traffic ticket. The same 1997 statistics for Houston reveal that 60 percent of adult drivers and passengers did not wear seat belts.
- According to the Texas DOT, A person is required to wear a seatbelt if he or she:
- is at least 15 years of age;
- is riding in the front seat of a passenger vehicle while the vehicle is being operated;
- is occupying a seat that is equipped with a safety belt; and
- is not secured by a safety belt; or
- as the operator of a school bus equipped with a safety belt for the operator's seat, the person is not secured by
the safety belt.
- There are some exceptions to the law for farm workers, mail carriers and passengers with medical concerns.
Safety belts can reduce injuries and deaths. Many studies and actual crash tests have proven this. Texas law requires the use of both your lap and shoulder belt if the vehicle is equipped with both. If you wear only a lap belt when driving, your chances of living through a collision are twice as good as the chances of someone who doesn't wear a lap belt. If you wear a lap and a shoulder belt, your chances are three to four times better.
Safety Tip - The recommended method for pregnant women to wear lap and shoulder belts is as follows: Wear the lap belt as low as possible under the abdomen and wear the shoulder strap across the chest and to the side of the abdomen.
