POLICE are issuing warnings about possible fines of several hundred dollars as drivers complain about the comfort of their seat belts.
Drivers can face fines of up to $490 if the safety device is not properly secured for certain passengers, according to state highway laws.
The warning comes after a driver wrote to the Sacramento Bee about California’s seat belt policy.
“Is it legal to wear a seat belt under your arm?” the driver asked the publication.
The reader said he likes to tuck his seat belt under his arm to keep the strap from “rubbing his neck.”
California law says changing seat belts can cost drivers hundreds of dollars, especially if passengers are caught not wearing them.
“A person shall not operate a motor vehicle on a highway unless that person and all passengers 16 years of age or older are properly restrained by a seat belt,” state law says.
State law also defines the “correct” way to use a belt.
California defines the correct way to use a seat belt as the lower strap crossing the passenger’s hips or upper thighs and the upper strap crossing the upper shoulder.
The rules are further emphasized in the California Driver’s Handbook.
Automobile offenders caught driving a car without a properly placed chest restraint may be subject to a $162 fine.
The fine increases if a minor under 16 does not wear a seat belt correctly.
Children found improperly tied up in a car can subject the driver to a $490 fine.
Drivers can also be forced to attend traffic school if they are caught incorrectly using their seat belts with their children.
The state says children under eight should normally sit in child seats.
However, children may be too tall or heavy for the seats.
Seat belt rules will come into effect once they outgrow child seats.
Seat belt status
Here is a list of benefits drivers get from wearing a seat belt:
- Added safety: Studies show that vehicle passengers who wear seat belts are less likely to be seriously injured or fatal in an accident.
- Following the law: All US states require the use of seat belts in cars.
- Reduced economic risk: Drivers caught not wearing a seat belt are subject to police fines, increased insurance rates and higher medical bills.
- Use of advanced technology: Automakers continue to utilize more cutting-edge advancements to keep drivers safer in the car.
Federal regulators have also said that wearing a seat belt is one of the most efficient ways to stay safe in a car.
“One of the safest choices drivers and passengers can make is to buckle up,” the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in its statement. website.
The agency also reported that proper seat belt use is extremely popular in the US.
More than 91% of vehicle passengers consistently wear seat belts, the agency said.
One study found that 14,955 lives were saved by using seat belts in 2017.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
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