Bill Forcing Backseat Riders to Wear Seatbelts Passes in New York

Lawmakers passed a bill on Tuesday requiring New Yorkers to buckle up in the back seat.

The amendment to New York's vehicle and traffic law requires all adult passengers to wear a seatbelt when riding in a motor vehicle. This includes backseat passengers. Up until now, there was no rule requiring adults to buckle up in the back seat.

New York lawmakers claim the new law will save New Yorkers’ lives. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, almost half of the 37,133 people killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2017 were not wearing a seatbelt.

The law imposes a $50 fine not just for the adult in the back seat breaking the law, but also for the motor vehicle operator. Uber and Lyft drivers are not exempt from this law either. They would be subject to a fine if their fare is caught breaking the law.

Some exemptions to the law include mail carriers, firemen and first responders, automobiles made before 1968 and municipal buses.

Now that the bill has been passed by the Assembly and the New York Senate it's headed for Governor Cuomo's desk. The bill is expected to be approved and go into effect this November.

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