HERE’S THE LAW
Texas law requires drivers and front seat passengers in all vehicles to be secured by a safety belt.
Children younger than 17 years old must be secured with a safety belt or in a child safety seat, whether they are sitting in the front or back seat. A child younger than five years old and less than 36 inches tall must ride in a child safety seat. A safety belt violation can result in fines ranging from $25 to $200, plus court costs.
SEE THE FACTS- Pickup trucks roll over twice as often as passenger cars in fatal crashes. Wearing a safety belt reduces the risk of dying in a rollover pickup truck crash by up to 80 percent.
- Wearing a safety belt increases the odds of surviving a serious crash by 50 percent.
- Only half of children ages 5–9 ride buckled up; 65 percent of children ages 10–14 ride buckled up, and 66 percent of teens ages 15–16 buckle up. That means nearly 1.7 million children in Texas ride in vehicles without the protection of safety belts.