What Is Pennsylvania's Seatbelt Law?
Pennsylvania's Department of Transportation (PennDOT) notes that you can be killed on impact when riding in a motor vehicle that is moving at just 12 mph. Your arms and legs can shatter, not stop you, when your body heads toward the dashboard or windshield of a vehicle after a crash. PennDOT officials warn that only a seat belt can slow you down upon impact.
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Significance
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PennDOT stresses a common message--seat belts save lives. In a crash, you have 1/50th of a second to react and stop your body. PennDOT notes that your arms and legs do not move that fast--even if they could, they likely won't work--but seat belts do. Another benefit of wearing a seat belt, according to PennDOT, is that they keep you inside the vehicle. You are 25 times more likely to die in a crash when ejected.
Seat Belt Law
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According to PennDOT's enforcement and education campaign, Buckle Up PA, drivers and all front seat passengers must be "restrained" when riding in a motor vehicle. It is the driver's responsibility to secure himself and all children between the ages of 8 and 18 in a seat belt, regardless of position (front or back seat) in a motor vehicle. PennDOT also notes that a driver under 18 cannot operate a motor vehicle when the number of passengers is greater than the number of available seat belts. The penalty for all violations is a $10 fine.
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Child Passenger Law
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Drivers are required to secure any child, birth to 4 years of age, in a child restraint system. Pennsylvania law mandates a seat belt system and age-appropriate child booster seat for all kids between the ages of 4 and 8. Violation of these laws carries a $100 fine, but PennDOT notes that the fine can be waived with proof of purchase of a car seat.
Types of Enforcement
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Pennsylvania mixes primary and secondary enforcement. Primary enforcement means you can be pulled over solely for violating a seat belt or child passenger safety law. Under secondary enforcement, you can only be cited for seat belt or child passenger safety missteps if you have been stopped for another traffic offense. PennDOT points out that the under 18, number of drivers relative to number of seat belts law is a primary violation. The remaining seat belt laws trigger secondary enforcement. Child passenger safety laws governing children age 4 and under are subject to primary enforcement, while all others are secondary.
Effects
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The Scranton Times Tribune reports that Pennsylvania's 85.1 percent seat belt usage rate is far behind states with strict primary enforcement laws, as of February 2010. For instance, New Jersey's rate was nearly 92 percent in 2008. The paper notes that safety experts, including Dr. Paul Slovic, an expert in the psychology of risk at Oregon State University, concede that 100 percent compliance is highly unlikely due to a lack of education and understanding regarding seat belt use and what happens in a motor vehicle crash.
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- Photo Credit steering wheel image by Mat Hayward from Fotolia.com
