What is the Penalty for Not Wearing a Seat Belt?
Posted February 17th, 2016 by Anthony Carbone, PC.
Categories: Auto Accidents.
Earlier this week, former Miss New Jersey Cara McCollum was critically injured after her car slid off an icy road. According to the state police, McCollum was driving her 2014 Mustang northbound on state Route 55 in Pittsgrove Township when she ran off the side of the road and struck several trees. It was revealed the next day that McCollum wasn’t wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident.
For more than three decades now, the wearing of seat belts has been a law in New Jersey. According to the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety, more than 2,000 drivers and passengers who were not wearing seat belts at the time of an auto accident have died on the state roadways in the past 10 years. On average, 150 unrestrained motorists and passengers are killed in car crashes each year in New Jersey.
In September, New Jersey had strengthened its laws concerning child passengers. It’s now a law that any child under the age of 8 and a height of 57 inches should be secured to the rear seat by either a car seat or by a seat belt. For more information about the new laws, read this blog.
So if you are caught driving or riding in a car without wearing your seat belt, what can happen? For a first offense, you will receive a fine of $46, which includes any court costs you may have. Sure, it may be cheaper than a speeding fine, but it’s a fine that can cost you in the end if you get into an accident without a seat belt.
If you are involved in a car accident and need help with the insurance company, let us help. Contact the Law Offices of Anthony Carbone today for a free consultation.
