What's happening
This bill requires all back seat passengers in most vehicles to wear seat belts, with exceptions for taxis, liveries, and certain buses.
Why it matters
Expands seat belt requirements to all passengers over age 16 in both front and rear seats of most vehicles. , meaning adults in the back seat must now buckle up, not just those in the front.
Clarifies who is responsible for penalties. passengers aged 18 and over are responsible for their own fines, while the parent or guardian is responsible if the unbelted passenger is 17 or younger—this could impact families and drivers supervising minors.
Specifies that taxis, liveries, and most buses are exempt. , but transit buses (those that allow standing and make frequent stops) are defined and remain excluded from the seat belt mandate, maintaining flexibility for certain public transportation forms.
Aims to improve safety outcomes. by addressing a gap in the current law, as studies show unbelted rear passengers in crashes can pose risks not only to themselves but also to front-seat occupants.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require Rear Seat Belts
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to transportation
- Referred to transportation
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5181
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 7, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. ARROYO -- read once and referred to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to rear passenger seat belts
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The opening paragraph of subdivision 1, subdivision 3 and subdivision 9 of section 1229-c of the vehicle and traffic law, the opening paragraph of subdivision 1 as amended by chapter 18 of the laws of 2005, subdivision 3 as added by chapter 365 of the laws of 1984 and subdivision 9 as amended by chapter 340 of the laws of 2017, are amended to read as follows:
No person shall operate a motor vehicle, other than taxis, liveries and buses in this state unless:
3. No person shall operate a motor vehicle unless such person is restrained by a safety belt approved by the commissioner. No person sixteen years of age or over shall be a passenger in the front or back seat of a motor vehicle unless such person is restrained by a safety belt approved by the commissioner.
9. [Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision four of this section, the provisions of this] This section shall [not] apply to buses [other than school buses] with the exception of transit buses as defined in section one hundred fifty-six-a of this chapter and the provisions of subdivisions one, two, three and three-a of this section shall [not] apply to taxis and liveries. Under this subdivision, any penalties for an unrestrained back seat passenger shall be the responsibility of such passengers that are ages eighteen or older; for those passengers that are seventeen and younger, such penalty shall be the responsibility of his or her parent or guardian.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04054-02-9
A. 5181 2
§ 2. The opening paragraph of subdivision 1 of section 1229-c of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 393 of the laws of 2017, is amended to read as follows:
No person shall operate a motor vehicle, other than taxis, liveries and buses in this state unless:
§ 3. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section 156-a to read as follows:
§ 156-a. Transit bus. A motor vehicle as defined under section one hundred four of this article intended to accommodate standing passengers, traveling short distances on a fixed route making frequent stops.
§ 4. This act shall take effect immediately; provided however that section two of this act shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as chapter 393 of the laws of 2017, takes effect.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.