Missouri State Law Statute
Missouri State Statute 307.178 mandates that a driver and all front
seat passengers, unless they are exempt for medical reasons, must use a
seat belt when traveling in a motor vehicle. The driver is
responsible for ensuring that all children under 16 years of age, no
matter where they are seated in the vehicle, are properly restrained by
a seat belt or car seat, and any persons traveling with a driver who
has a permit must also use a seat belt no matter where they are seated
in the vehicle.
Missouri imposes a fine of $10.00 for violation of the Missouri seat
belt law if the violation is noted after being pulled-over for another
violation. Missouri drivers cannot be pulled over specifically
for not wearing a seat belt.
Missouri State Statute 307.179 mandates that all children under a
specific age/weight requirement must be restrained in a car seat or
booster seat based on the following specifications:
- Children less than four years of age, regardless of weight, shall
be secured in a child passenger restraint system appropriate for that
child
- Children weighing less than forty pounds, regardless of age, shall
be secured in a child passenger restraint system appropriate for that
child
- Children at least four years of age but less than eight years of
age, or children weighing at least forty pounds but less than eighty
pounds, or children less than four feet, nine inches tall shall be
secured in a child passenger restraint or booster seat appropriate for
that child
- Children at least eighty pounds, children more than four feet, nine
inches in height, or children eight years of age or older shall be
secured by a vehicle safety belt
Fines for Not Wearing a Seat Belt
The fine imposed for not wearing a seat belt will not exceed $10.00
but will be issued for each person violating the Missouri seat belt
law. The fine imposed for not properly securing a child in a car
seat or booster seat shall not exceed $50.00. These fines are in
addition to any other fines incurred at the time of the traffic stop by
law enforcement officials. Violation of the Missouri seat belt
law is not a primary offense, meaning that you cannot be pulled over
and cited for violation of the Missouri seat belt law. A seat
belt fine will be secondary to the traffic violation that prompted law
enforcement officials to pull you over. Violation of the Missouri
seat belt law does not result in points on your Missouri Driving
Record.
Who is Required to Wear a Seat Belt?
All front seat passengers and the driver are required to wear their
seat belt in Missouri. Passengers under 16 years of age,
regardless of where they are seated in the vehicle, must wear a seat
belt or be properly restrained in a car seat at all times. Those
drivers or passengers who have a medical condition that prevents them
from wearing a seat belt and pregnant women are exempt.
Children who have not yet met the age/height/weight requirements must
be secured in a car seat or booster based on the guidelines outlined in
the next section.
Missouri Car Seat Information
Missouri employs the following car seat guidelines for
height/weight/age requirements:
- Children less than four years of age, regardless of weight, shall
be secured in a child passenger safety restraint system appropriate for
that child
- Children weighing less than forty pounds, regardless of age, shall
be secured in a child passenger safety restraint system appropriate for
that child
- Children at least four years of age but less than eight years of
age, or children weighing at least forty pounds but less than eighty
pounds, or children less than four feet, nine inches tall shall be
secured in a child passenger safety restraint or booster seat
appropriate for that child
- Children at least eighty pounds, children more than four feet, nine
inches in height, or children eight years of age or older shall be
secured by a vehicle safety belt
There are 3 types of car seats/restraints:
- Rear Facing car seats are to be secured in the backseat only and
are for children from birth to 1 year old and at least 20 pound
- Front Facing car seats are for children from 1 year to about 4
years old and at least 20
- Booster Seats can be used for children from about 4 years to about
8 years old and at least 4 feet 9 inches in height and 40 pounds in
weight
- Seat Belts can be used for children who are 8 years or older and
children who weigh at least 80 pounds and are at least 4 feet 10 inches
in height
No matter which car seat/safety restraint system you use, it must be
secured to the seat using a safety belt or LATCH (Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children). There should be no more than 1 inch of
play side-to-side or forward.
Reasons for Using Seat Belts and Car Seats
When a driver or passenger is not safely restrained in a moving
vehicle motor vehicle, their chance of being injured in a motor vehicle
accident significantly increases. Statistics show that 1 in 3 people in
Missouri will be injured in a motor vehicle accident if they are not
wearing their seat belt; however, only 1 in 8 people will be injured in
a motor vehicle accident if they are wearing a seat belt. You are
more 5 times more likely to die in a motor vehicle accident if you are
not properly restrained when compared to those who are. The
numbers do not lie.
When you are not properly restrained in a motor vehicle and the car
stops abruptly, you will continue to move forward at the speed at which
the car was moving before impact until you make impact with a hard
surface. This hard surface will likely be the dashboard or the
windshield, which will cause serious injury. If an airbag is
deployed, the injuries you sustain may be of a lesser degree; however,
without curtain-side airbags, you can still be thrown through a driver
or passenger side window.
In the event a motor vehicle accident causes your vehicle to overturn,
you will be at the mercy of gravity. If you are not properly
restrained, you will be tossed around the inside of the vehicle, again
sustaining serious injury. A child who is not properly restrained
or, even worse, is not restrained at all will likely suffer more
extensive injuries to their developing bodies and brains. The risk is
too great and the solution is simple – buckle up and insist that your
passengers do, too.
Types of Seat Belts
There are several types of seat belts that you will see installed in
motor vehicles, depending on the age of the vehicle. Car
manufacturers have long been experimenting with the safest seat belt
system and continue to make improvements. If you are in an older
vehicle that is not equipped with industry-standard safety restraints,
it is highly recommended that you contact the car manufacture for an
upgrade.
Typically, you will see 5 types of seat belt systems in a vehicle:
- A Lap Belt is a strap that fits across your hips but, by itself, it
is almost nonexistent. You may, however, still find lap belts
located in the rear-center seat of a vehicle.
- A Sash is the strap that rests across the chest/breastbone and,
again, is almost nonexistent as a sole safety restraint.
- The Lap and Sash combination is a seat belt system that has been
recently modified and updated. This seat belt system is now
referred to as the Three-Point seatbelt and is found in the front
driver and passenger seats, primarily. In 2007, however, all new
motor vehicles were required to be equipped with the Three-Point System
in the center rear seat, also.
- The Belt-in-Seat (BIS) is a Three-Point system that is secured
directly to the backrest of the seat
- A Five-point harnesses seat belt system is a more restrictive
seatbelt system and is often found in car seats. 2-shoulder belts
connected to a lap belt that secures between the legs comprise the
Five-Point system.
How to Use With Children
Please remember that a child is not to be restrained using a seat
belt system if they are less than 8 years old, less than 4.10 inches in
height or less than 80 pounds in weight.
When determining whether or not a child can be safely restrained in a
seat belt system, the following factors should be assessed:
- Is the child tall enough to sit without slouching and keep their
back against the seat?
- Can the child keep his or her knees completely bent over the edge
of the seat?
- Can the child keep his or her feet flat on the floor?
- Does the lap belt fit low and across the upper thighs?
Does the sash belt fit snugly and comfortably across the center of
their shoulder and through the center of the chest?
If you answered ‘no’ to any of these questions, then your child is not
ready to be promoted from booster or car seat to seat belt
restraints. It is your responsibility to protect all children in
your vehicle who are under 16 years of age, so please strictly adhere
to the seat belt guidelines. Your child’s life just may depend on
it!
