§ 32-5B-4 — Safety Belt Requirements for Occupants of Passenger Cars; Exemptions

(a)(1) Each occupant of a passenger car manufactured with safety belts in compliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208 shall have a safety belt properly fastened about his or her body at all times when the vehicle is in motion.
(2) An adult occupant of a passenger car in violation of subdivision (1) shall be the proper person to be charged with the violation.
(3) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a violation of this section in any seat other than a front seat of a vehicle shall be a secondary violation after a lawful stop of the vehicle based on probable cause of another violation of law and the issuance of a citation or warrant of arrest for the violation.
(b) The provisions of subsection (a) shall not apply to:
(1) A child passenger under the purview of Section 32-5-222, who is required to use a child passenger restraint system or a seat belt pursuant to Section 32-5-222.
(2) An occupant of a passenger car who possesses a written statement from a licensed physician that he or she is unable for medical reasons to wear a safety belt.
(3) A rural letter carrier of the United States Postal Service while performing his or her duties as a rural letter carrier.
(4) A driver or passenger delivering newspapers or mail from house to house.
(5) Passengers in a passenger car with a model year prior to 1965.
(6) Passengers in motor vehicles which normally operate in reverse.

Legislative History

(Acts 1991, No. 91-255, p. 483, §4; Act 2019-386, §2.)