N.C. Lawmakers: Buckle Up in the Back Seat, Too

Click it or ticket, even in the back seat.

With the Senate concurring to changes made by the House, lawmakers Monday night finalized a proposal that requires all North Carolina passengers to buckle up. That measure now goes to the governor for his signature.

Supporters of the bill, which passed 30-17, have cited immeasurable cost to society when unbuckled passengers are seriously injured. They said unbuckled back seat passengers can fly forward and injure front seat occupants during an accident, causing additional medical costs and high insurance premiums.

“We all pay for it, and that’s where the role of government comes in,” said Sen. Ellie Kinnaird, D-Orange. “It’s not just an individual choice.”
Opponents cited choice as a dwindling asset for North Carolina adults.

“We are faced with a bill that says government can make the decisions for you,” said Senate Minority Leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham. “We continue to see an erosion of our personal freedoms.”

Under North Carolina’s child safety law, anyone under the age of 16 must use a seat belt no matter where they ride in a vehicle. However, older passengers only have to use a seat belt in the front seat.

The bill makes the back seat law a secondary violation, meaning law enforcement cannot stop a vehicle solely for a seat belt infraction. If a driver is pulled over for another reason, non-buckled occupants of the back seat could face a $10 fine.

Almost 20 other states, including South Carolina, have passed laws requiring a seat belt in the back seat. It was also a major recommendation of North Carolina’s Child Fatality Task Force.